Founders Anne and Stefan Lemcke have unexpectedly bought back the majority stake in their spice startup Ankerkraut from Nestlé. The transaction was announced in a press release on April 15. Financial details remain confidential.
Hamburg-based Ankerkraut was founded in 2013 by Anne and Stefan Lemcke, gaining fame for innovative spice mixes in glass bottles with cork stoppers. It became nationally known through social media and the TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen." In 2022, the Lemckes sold the majority stake to Nestlé for a presumed three-digit million-euro sum.
The founders have now repurchased their shares from the world's largest food company, as stated in a press release on Wednesday. Nestlé previously held about 85 percent, according to earlier reports. "Ankerkraut is more than a company to us – it is our life's work," Anne and Stefan Lemcke explained.
Alexander von Maillot, chairman of Nestlé Germany, backed the buyback: "We support the founders' desire for greater entrepreneurial independence." He called the previous cooperation constructive, trusting, and aligned on common goals.
A challenging market environment promoted the decision, Ankerkraut stated. At the time of Nestlé's entry, revenue stood at around 40 million euros from spices and teas, split evenly between brick-and-mortar retail and online sales.
