Brand profile · Germany
yfood Revenue, search volume and competitors 2026
AcquiredMeal replacement market leader in the DACH region, with a slight decline since 2024.
Fact sheet
- Founded
- 2017
- Founders
- Noel Bollmann, Benjamin Kremer
- Headquarters
- München
- Company
- YFood Labs GmbH
- Employees
- ca. 200 (Anfang 2023)
- Die Höhle der Löwen (German TV show)
- Yes, season 5 (2018)
- Deal on the show
- Yes
- Investors on the show
- Frank Thelen
- Deal closed after the show
- Yes
- Funding
- Venture capital backed
- Investors
- Frank Thelen (Freigeist), Five Seasons Ventures, New Ground Ventures, Nestlé (49,95 Prozent seit 2023)
- Funding rounds
- 2018: Angel-Investment (DHDL, Frank Thelen), 200.000 €; 2019: Finanzierungsrunde, 4,2 million €; 2020: Finanzierungsrunde, 15 million €
Background and milestones
Noel Bollmann and Benjamin Kremer came from finance (investment banking and private equity) and founded YFood in Munich in 2017 as a ready-to-drink meal for everyday life. A year later they pitched the idea on Die Höhle der Löwen.
- 2017
YFood founded in Munich.
- 2018
Appearance on Die Höhle der Löwen; Frank Thelen invests EUR 200,000 for 20 percent.
- 2019
Funding round of EUR 4.2 million including Five Seasons Ventures and New Ground Ventures.
- 2020
Second funding round of EUR 15 million.
- 2023
Nestlé takes a stake of about 49 percent; record revenue of about EUR 120 million.
- 2026
Nestlé announces the full takeover; the founders leave.
SWOT analysis of yfood
Editorial assessment based on the sources listed and the radar data.
Strengths
- About 40,500 brand searches per month in Germany.
- Revenue of about EUR 150 million last year and distribution at over 50,000 points of sale in 30 countries according to the June 2026 announcement.
- Well-capitalized owner Nestlé with access to retail and international distribution.
Weaknesses
- With the founders leaving, the brand loses its former faces and founder leadership.
- Nestlé's entry in 2023 triggered criticism and boycott calls on social media.
Opportunities
- International growth as a global smart food brand under Nestlé.
- Range extension beyond ready-to-drink meals (powders, bars, hot bowls).
Threats
- Competition in ready-to-drink meals and sports nutrition, dependence on grocery retail.
- Loss of start-up image under corporate ownership.
What is behind the demand?
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Sources
- Handelsblatt via Statista
- Lebensmittelpraxis
- Gründer.de: DHDL-Startup Yfood verkauft Anteile an Nestlé
- dhdl.info: YFood
- Handelsblatt: YFood nach Höhle der Löwen frisches Geld
- deutsche-startups.de: YFood Interview
- Pitchdeck Magazin: yfood
- Food aktuell: Nestlé übernimmt Yfood vollständig
- Börse Express: Nestlé-Übernahme Vollzug zum 3. Juli 2026
Frequently asked questions about yfood
How much revenue does yfood make?
yfood generated around 133 million € (−4 %) in revenue in 2024 (documented in annual reports or registers). The full revenue history and a model estimate of organic revenue (brand vs. non-brand) are in the brand profile after login.
Who founded yfood?
yfood was founded in 2017 by Noel Bollmann and Benjamin Kremer. The company is based in München.
Was yfood on Die Höhle der Löwen?
Yes, yfood appeared on the German TV show Die Höhle der Löwen in season 5 (2018). The show ended with a deal with Frank Thelen. The deal was closed after the show.
Is yfood backed by venture capital?
Yes, yfood is backed by venture capital. Investors include Frank Thelen (Freigeist), Five Seasons Ventures, New Ground Ventures and Nestlé (49,95 Prozent seit 2023). Known funding rounds: 2018: Angel-Investment (DHDL, Frank Thelen), 200.000 €; 2019: Finanzierungsrunde, 4,2 million €; 2020: Finanzierungsrunde, 15 million €.
How much does yfood spend on marketing?
yfood 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 yfood has to pay for each visit.
How much revenue does yfood make through Google?
The model estimate combines brand searches and organic traffic of yfood with the niche's purchase intent, conversion rate and basket size. It separates brand revenue (people who already know yfood) from non-brand revenue (new customers via SEO). The figures are in the brand profile after login.
What would the organic traffic of yfood 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 yfood 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 yfood.
Want to make your own brand this visible?
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