From the “Lion’s Den” startup to the complete sale to Nestlé: Yfood is completely taken over by the food company. The founders give up their shares and leave the company.
The company is thirsty: As Nestlé announces, the industry giant will completely take over the food startup Yfood. The Munich startup for drinking meals, made famous by “The Lions’ Den”, had already sold shares in the food giant Nestlé in 2023. Now it belongs entirely to the food giant.
Keeping quiet about financial details
With the takeover, the Swiss group wants to accelerate the international expansion of the brand and enable entry into additional markets. Yfood, founded in 2017 by Benjamin Kremer and Noel Bollmann, is one of the leading providers of ready-to-drink meals in Germany and Europe – it now sells its drinking meals, powders and bars in 30 countries. In the 2025 financial year, Yfood had sales of around 150 million euros.
Nestlé has held a minority stake of 49 percent in Yfood since 2023. According to the group’s announcement, all shareholders have already approved the transaction. Subject to the usual antitrust and regulatory approvals, the shares of founders Benjamin Kremer and Noel Bollmann are to be transferred completely to Nestlé on July 3, 2026. It is said that the agreement was not to disclose the financial details of the transaction.
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Founders leave – new head for Yfood
Despite the takeover, Yfood will remain an independent company with its headquarters in Munich. This means: brand identity, corporate culture and strategic direction remain unchanged. But: The two founders Benjamin Kremer and Noel Bollmann are leaving the startup and operational management is being reorganized. Yfood is headed by Jolanda Schwirtz, a Nestlé manager who has worked with the startup for the past three years.
