Nestlé buys spice start-up Ankerkraut

The Hamburg-based start-up now has a new majority owner. Not everyone likes that.

Spice start-up Ankerkraut is going to food company Nestlé. According to Nestlé, Ankerkraut's current management team will continue to run the business independently. In addition, the founders and management will stay on as shareholders. Nestlé said it wants to learn from the startup's agility, entrepreneurial spirit and omnichannel presence. Ankerkraut would benefit from Nestlé's distribution network as part of the acquisition.

Anne and Stefan Lemcke founded the herb and spice manufacturer Ankerkraut in 2013. In 2016, the start-up became known through its participation in Die Höhle der Löwen and the entry of Frank Thelen. The founders sell their products via an online store and in retail stores in Germany and Austria. Now Ankerkraut has sold a majority stake to Nestlé. "For us, this step is a great opportunity, because we want to continue our growth and professionalization," the founders said.

But the announcement of the acquisition is not being well received everywhere. Gerold Wolfarth, managing director of Ökovation Ventures, for example, believes that Ankerkraut's values do not fit Nestlé. "For me, one thing is very clear: Ankerkraut has sold its soul here," the managing director writes on Linkedin.