Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem do you solve?
Emma Green: With Emma Green We sell specialized cleaning and care products, just like grandma used to make, without any frills. Our goal is to offer effective, sustainable, and affordable alternatives using natural ingredients such as sugar surfactants, essential oils, and beeswax that are in no way inferior to the effectiveness of "modern" chemicals. To achieve this, we work with family-run manufacturers in Germany and Greece, where our products are manufactured using tried-and-tested recipes.
“Radical in terms of ingredients and the selection of production partners”
With this idea, we solve everyday problems like stubborn stains, cracked leather, or unpleasant odors. Conversely, it means we extend the lifespan of your favorite sofa, shoes, or leather bag, save resources, and expose you to significantly fewer chemicals every time you use a household cleaner. With Emma Grün, you can declutter your closet, simplify the tiresome selection on the drugstore shelf, and rely on sustainable products that are made locally.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Emma Green: Yes, in part. But to our knowledge, no other brand is as radical in its ingredients and selection of production partners. We focus on German and European production partners and sustainability, from ingredients to packaging. The minimum requirement for our production partners is that they are family businesses that use tried-and-tested recipes that they have developed themselves or with us. Some of these are recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. In the case of our essential oils, room sprays, and sauna oils, our production partner even runs its own organic farm and extracts the oils in its own distillery on the Greek Mediterranean coast. We have also just finished developing a product line that we will launch towards the end of the year and that is unique in Germany.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Emma Green: The idea for Emma Grün was born to Louis in his Stanford dorm room in 2021. While searching for an exciting niche in e-commerce, he noticed that when it comes to cleaning tips, one always comes across the same household remedies that have been around for decades. Everyone knows everyday helpers like vinegar essence, beeswax, gall soap, or baking soda, recommended by parents, grandparents, or videos. Due to his studies focusing on chemistry and management, it was clear to him that this logic must also be applicable to other household products. Jannik joined Emma Grün a year later in 2022 and drove its growth with his experience as a freelance e-commerce consultant.
Challenge: Launch new products at high speed
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Emma Green: One of the biggest challenges is certainly launching new products at a rapid pace as a bootstrapped startup without outside capital. At times, we launched six to eight new products per month within a product category, which is a significant challenge both financially and in terms of time. Furthermore, our compact team size can also pose a challenge at certain stages, as we have to prioritize strongly. Furthermore, when selecting the right partners—be it in production, logistics, advertising, tools, etc.—we have significantly less room for error than larger competitors.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Emma Green: In one year, we aim to generate mid-seven-figure revenues with Emma Grün and achieve greater maturity in terms of our portfolio and channels. Specifically, this means reducing our dependence on Amazon as a key sales channel by selectively tapping into additional marketplaces and brick-and-mortar stores. And, second, by strengthening the role of our shop with individual products, which we increasingly promote via paid social media. In addition, we want to pool the expertise of our production partners in the coming year and use them to create completely new, innovative products to build deeper ties around our brand.
In five years, we want to be significantly closer to our vision – in the spirit of the former corner shop – of offering everyone in the DACH region an affordable alternative for clean, well-maintained, and fragrant homes. By 2029, Emma Grün aims to be a love brand that is the preferred choice when looking for reliable and safe solutions for upholstery stains, dry leather, and unpleasant odors. In quantitative terms, this means mid-eight-figure sales and an expansion of our product portfolio. In qualitative terms, it will be essential that we continue to find the best production partners for each new product category who share our passion and high standards. In addition, we want to achieve retail listings in all relevant drugstores, food retailers, and hardware stores over the next five years, as well as internationalization on Amazon and in our online shop.
Startup location Munich as a foundation for a strong network
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Emma Green: Our network around our alma mater at the Technical University of Munich is an important factor, without which Emma Grün's success would not have been possible. During his studies, Louis was part of the entrepreneurship program Manage & More at the UnternehmerTUM, while Jannik participated in the Academic Program for Entrepreneurship at the SCE. Furthermore, Jannik has Happybrush He learned his trade in online marketing, brand building, and Amazon in Munich. Therefore, Munich, as a startup hub, continues to form the foundation for a strong network for us. Whether it's introductory discussions, growing pains, or new channels, we believe Munich offers the right sparring partners for every industry and every growth phase, as long as you're open to them. Emma Grün and I are also regular guests at Werk1 in the beautiful Werksviertel district, where we collaborate with fellow startups and gather inspiration.
Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?
Emma Green: Definitely a hidden champion. All of our production partners are hidden champions in their respective niches, be it leather care, leather repair, upholstery cleaning, or essential oils. This is precisely the spirit we strive to convey in our products: highly specialized, without unnecessary chemicals, manufactured with love and expertise. Our goal isn't to shine through large financing rounds or a maximum team size. Our central KPI is profit and profit per team member. This naturally flies under the radar, which is perfectly fine with us.
