No DHDL deal for Festávolo – but Maschmeyer buys the grill table privately

Ahmed Riaz

11 hours ago

Festávolo brings the “Lion’s Den” to the grill – in the end, people eat together at the design table, but no investment is made.

If the lions don’t invest any more, but at least test the grill: In the “Lions’ Den” the pitch quickly turns into a BBQ with a business verdict at the set table.

At the end of the season, Nils Dethloff presents a pitch with Festávolo that not only gets the lions to listen, but also to join in the grilling. His offer is 500,000 euros for 15 percent of the company shares.

From a woodworking shop to a designer grill table

Dethloff brings with him an eventful past: he built a wood processing business in Russia for 20 years before the economic consequences of the Ukraine war hit him hard and his livelihood was lost. Today he wants to convince people with a radical new start. His product is a designer grill table where guests grill directly at their place and turn from spectators into fellow grillers. Gas grill, cooking surface and oven are integrated.

Price in the premium segment

The positioning is clearly intended in the high-end area:

Grill: 7,999 euros
Complete set with chairs: approx. 12,000 euros
Large table solution: up to 18,000-19,000 euros

Festávolo grill table is located in the “Lion’s Den” in the middle of the studio and quickly transforms the pitch table into a grill station. Business meeting meets BBQ.

Last year, Festávolo achieved sales of around 600,000 euros in Russia and around 150,000 euros in the DACH region.

Barbecue with the lions

Even in the studio, the pitch becomes a live experience. The lions take a seat at the table, they grill, discuss and try things out. Ralf Dümmel reacts enthusiastically, “I don’t think that’s good. I think it’s sensational.”

Carsten Maschmeyer likes it: “I would like to buy the complete set this evening.” But: “Grilling and gardening isn’t my thing, so I’m out of it for those reasons.” Janna Ensthaler also praises the founder, but also decides against investing. “I know you will be successful, but it is not my field and my passion,” she says. Dümmel, Frank Thelen and Judith Williams also drop out. They don’t see an operational fit with their portfolio. “I have no experience in this area. This is not my business,” said Williams.

The lions test the product directly in the cave at the FESTÁVOLO table.

No deal, but a lot of tailwind

In the end, all lions leave the table without investment, but with a lot of recognition for the product and founder. Dümmel brings it to the point at the end: The founder will go his own way, even without a deal in the cave.

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