Business: Marketplace
The business idea arose from the founders personal passion for artisanal beverages. Through brewing his own beer, making liqueurs, and roasting coffee, he developed an interest in high-quality, non-industrial products that are not available in supermarkets. However, the search proved difficult and required long journeys or tedious online research.
Market analysis revealed the potential: Germany has around 40,000 producers of beer, spirits, wine, coffee, and soft drinks, as well as 20,000 food manufacturers. These smaller, regional suppliers mainly sell locally at farm shops or in a few specialty stores. There was no central online platform connecting manufacturers and consumers. At the same time, the food and beverage product group was growing rapidly in e-commerce, and consumer interest in regional, sustainable, and premium products was steadily increasing.
The founder deliberately chose a marketplace model to solve the problem on both sides: small manufacturers need more reach and online access, while customers are looking for easy access to quality, premium, and regional specialties. In addition, this model makes it possible to cater to the seemingly endless number of gourmet products and constant newcomers, while avoiding transport and storage problems associated with luxury foods. The Co-founder joined as CTO in July 2019.
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Today, the business operates a nationwide online marketplace for beverages and groceries. With around 450 retailers and manufacturers from 15 European countries collectively representing approximately 1,600 premium brands, the platform is expected to achieve a GMV (total transaction value processed via the platform) of approximately EUR 477 thousand in 2025. The business model combines B2C sales commissions with B2B seller services and B2B direct orders.
The owner is now looking for a buyer who thinks long-term and understands the future of food and beverage purchasing. The ideal buyer recognizes the potential to become the central point of contact for non-mainstream food and beverages in Europe. According to the German Trade Association, food, including beverages and delicacies, has been one of the fastest-growing product groups in Germany for years, with largely untapped potential.
All operational processes are documented and largely automated. The operational business is run entirely remotely and is scalable regardless of location.
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