Beneo joins Grillido

Südzucker subsidiary secures 14 percent stake in Munich-based foodtech.

Beneo, a subsidiary of the Mannheim-based Südzucker Group, is taking a 14 percent stake in Munich-based foodtech Grillido. The company expects the partnership to provide a direct route for its agricultural products to supermarket shelves. End-to-end market coverage is a key competitive advantage for the food group, it said. "Grillido is our stethoscope on the market and a decisive source of impetus thanks to its proximity to customers," says Südzucker executive Helen Arnold.

In the area of plant-based foods, Südzucker Group intends to continue to grow with it. In 2022, Beneo already bought the Dutch company Meatless, which also produces such. Grillido founders Manuel Stöffler and Michael Ziegler also see the deal as a basis for further growth. In the next step, Grillido wants to build its own production facilities. With the support of Südzucker Group, the Munich-based foodtech first wants to become more visible on the German market before expanding abroad.

In 2016, Stöffler and Ziegler founded Grillido and then first sold their meat-free products at Christmas markets. After an appearance on "Die Höhle der Löwen," the foodtech won the German Founder's Prize a year later and prominent investors such as Immoscout founder Birgit Ströbel and tech series founder Josef Brunner. Meanwhile, the product portfolio includes meat-based, vegetarian and vegan products. The start-up wants to transform itself from a food start-up to a sustainable indulgence company. "It has to taste good," says Stöffler. "The pleasure of enjoyment is above everything. Otherwise, the consumer won't change permanently."