Brand profile · Germany
Ankerkraut Revenue, search volume and competitors 2026
The spice brand with the most turbulent ownership history in German DTC.
Fact sheet
- Founded
- 2013
- Founders
- Anne Lemcke, Stefan Lemcke
- Headquarters
- Hamburg
- Company
- Ankerkraut GmbH
- Employees
- ca. 160 (2026); über 230 vor dem Nestlé-Verkauf
- Die Höhle der Löwen (German TV show)
- Yes, season 3 (2016)
- Deal on the show
- Yes
- Investors on the show
- Frank Thelen
- Deal closed after the show
- Yes
- Funding
- No venture capital known
- Investors
- Frank Thelen (2016), Nestlé (2022 bis 2026)
- Funding rounds
- 2016: DHDL-Deal mit Frank Thelen (20 Prozent), 300.000 €; 2022: Mehrheitsübernahme durch Nestlé (ca. 85 Prozent), nicht veröffentlicht
Background and milestones
Anne and Stefan Lemcke founded Ankerkraut in 2013 in their kitchen in Jesteburg near Hamburg. The range now covers more than 500 spices, spice blends, teas and accessories, marketed as free of flavour enhancers and artificial colours.
- 2013
Ankerkraut is founded by Anne and Stefan Lemcke.
- 2016
Appearance on Die Höhle der Löwen (season 3): deal with Frank Thelen for EUR 300,000 for 20 percent.
- 2022
Nestlé acquires around 85 percent of the shares; strong criticism on social media.
- 2026
The founders buy the shares back from Nestlé.
SWOT analysis of Ankerkraut
Editorial assessment based on the sources listed and the radar data.
Strengths
- Around 33,100 brand searches per month in Germany indicate very high awareness.
- Broad range of over 500 products and reach from the 2016 DHDL appearance.
- Founder-led and independent again since 2026.
Weaknesses
- The 2022 Nestlé acquisition caused strong reputational damage on social media.
- Headcount fell from over 230 to around 160.
Opportunities
- Positioning as an independent founder brand after the buy-back.
- Expanding the range and retail presence.
Threats
- Capital needs for the share buy-back and growth without group backing.
- Strong competition in the spice market from private labels and established brands.
What is behind the demand?
Discover the revenue estimate, organic traffic and ranking keywords of this brand. A free Visibly account shows 5 brands, Starter and above shows all.
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Sources
Frequently asked questions about Ankerkraut
How much revenue does Ankerkraut make?
Ankerkraut generated around 35–40 million € in revenue in 2021 (partly documented). For 2026: Gründer-Rückkauf. The full revenue history and a model estimate of organic revenue (brand vs. non-brand) are in the brand profile after login.
Who founded Ankerkraut?
Ankerkraut was founded in 2013 by Anne Lemcke and Stefan Lemcke. The company is based in Hamburg.
Was Ankerkraut on Die Höhle der Löwen?
Yes, Ankerkraut appeared on the German TV show Die Höhle der Löwen in season 3 (2016). The show ended with a deal with Frank Thelen. The deal was closed after the show.
Is Ankerkraut backed by venture capital?
No, there is no known venture capital funding for Ankerkraut. Shareholders include Frank Thelen (2016) and Nestlé (2022 bis 2026).
How much does Ankerkraut spend on marketing?
Ankerkraut does not publish its ad budgets. What can be measured is how much demand the brand creates: brand searches show whether social media, ads and word of mouth are working. The higher that share, the less Ankerkraut has to pay for each visit.
How much revenue does Ankerkraut make through Google?
The model estimate combines brand searches and organic traffic of Ankerkraut with the niche's purchase intent, conversion rate and basket size. It separates brand revenue (people who already know Ankerkraut) from non-brand revenue (new customers via SEO). The figures are in the brand profile after login.
What would the organic traffic of Ankerkraut be worth as a Google Ads budget?
Every organic click replaces a paid one. Organic clicks times the keywords' cost per click gives the equivalent ad budget. The brand profile shows the organic traffic and ranking keywords of Ankerkraut after login.
How do I find out the SEO revenue of my own website?
With your free Visibly account, which also works on antonioblago.com, you connect Google Search Console and see which keywords and pages bring you clicks, split into brand and non-brand. That lets you run the same numbers for your own domain as shown here for Ankerkraut.
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