Stefan Plate: Between Tradition and Digital Innovation
"He who stops getting better has stopped being good."
Behind INTERGASTRO is not an anonymous corporation, but the passion of a family that has supported the hospitality industry for generations. Stefan Plate has been managing the company since 1994, crucially shaping its path from a regional specialized dealer to an international e-commerce pioneer.
Hands-on dialogue at eye level: Stefan Plate (left) in a technical discussion with Georg Echler regarding the optimal table culture equipment for the Restaurant & Landhotel Bonsmannshof in Herdecke.
From Theory to "Getting Things Done"
After completing his business administration studies in Regensburg, Strasbourg, and graduating in Lüneburg, Stefan Plate felt drawn to the USA. He completed his MBA in 1993 in Bellingham (Washington), near Seattle. It was a formative time in a region that was rapidly becoming the epicenter of modern mail-order commerce.
"The German university education provided me with the theoretical foundation, but the US MBA taught me to focus on what truly matters: tackling challenges head-on and implementing solutions—to get things done."
The Vision of Mail-Order Commerce
Although the possibilities of global mail-order commerce were already in the air during his time in the USA, the hurdles of the pre-internet era—such as the astronomical costs of printing and distributing catalogs—were almost impossible for a family business to overcome. However, returning to Dortmund in 1994 to join his parents' business was not a step away from the wider world; it was a decision for independence and for building something of his own.
Focusing on the Customer, Mastering the Technology
With the rise of the internet, the vision of an efficient mail-order business finally found its tool. Stefan Plate guided the company away from manual typewriters and the tight, 90s courtyard premises to a state-of-the-art logistics center at Dortmund's Heiliger Weg.
"Technology and systems are a means to an end for us," Stefan Plate explains. "Ultimately, it is always about customer benefit: a restaurateur needs their equipment quickly, reliably, and at a fair price. We understand that every single inch counts in a professional kitchen. That is why we don't just carry standard sizes, but offer over 106,000 highly differentiated product variations. Our goal is to ensure you find the exact version at Intergastro that fits your workflow perfectly—without compromises.
The fact that we are reachable today as an owner-managed business for 285,000 customers is the result of over 70 years of experience and a constant drive to evolve for our clients."
Vision: Intergastro as the First Choice in Europe
"Our vision is as clear as our commitment: we want every professional in the hospitality industry—whether at the stove, in service, or in management—to think of Intergastro as their first and most reliable partner.
We work daily to ensure that our name becomes synonymous with quality, speed, and genuine expertise across the entire DACH region and, looking ahead, all of Europe. Our goal is not to be the largest anonymous marketplace, but the most competent specialist mail-order partner that you can rely on blindly in the kitchen and the dining room. When professionals think of catering and kitchen equipment, they should think of Intergastro."
