Pressure, vision, prominence – the recipe behind YFood
“We all have this problem from time to time: You have so much to do, you are on the go all day and simply do not find the time to eat a healthy and balanced diet,”
Pitch & People Episodes
PITCH & PEOPLE Episode 7: YFood
Between pressure, Nestlé, and Kai Pflaume – how YFood wants to become the next Red Bull story! Benjamin Kremer knows what pressure is like – from investment banking, from the startup phase...
says Benjamin Kremer, founder of YFood. That's how it all began. Together with co-founder Noel Bollmann, he founded YFood with the mission of making healthy eating possible anywhere, anytime. Today, the company employs around 200 people and has sold over 100 million meals across Europe. YFood is currently experiencing particularly strong growth in the UK.
Kremer emphasizes that despite its size, YFood still sees itself as a startup:
“We want to maintain our agility and dynamism and not fall into corporate structures.”
With Nestlé behind us and Red Bull in sight
A decisive step in the company’s history was the Nestlé's commitment, with which the founders remain very happy. Kremer and Bollmann hold 51 percent of the shares, Nestlé 49 percent. This gives them the "best of both worlds" – control over the company and, at the same time, access to a global network. Criticism of the conglomerate has been met. Kremer calm:
"Anyone who does something new will experience criticism. But creating an innovation and getting away with it entirely without criticism is very rare."
Looking to the future, he clearly formulates the goal:
"Ultimately, our vision is not to remain a German company with YFood, but to build an international company, a global brand. Our guiding star, our great role model, is Red Bull."
When success means pressure
Behind this success story lies hard work and mental stress. In an interview with Munich Startup, Kremer explains that in the early years, there was hardly a day without new challenges. The pressure was omnipresent: decisions had to be made quickly, often with far-reaching consequences.
The initial phase in particular left its mark on him. YFood was bootstrapped, financed with his own money and that of family and friends. Any mistake could have had existential consequences. Kremer speaks of a time when he and his team had no option to drop out because there was no one to step in.
Even today, in a phase with less operational workload, the pressure remains. It has changed – from long working days to strategic responsibility. Kremer knows: every decision can affect the future of hundreds of employees.
To cope, he relies on balance through family, friends, and sports. His co-founder meditates regularly; for him, clear breaks and exercise are his way of dealing with stress. Over the years, Kremer says, he has learned to develop "a level more professionalism" in dealing with pressure.
Kai Pflaume, Sophia Thomalla and the power of the brand
In parallel with developing the product, YFood implemented a marketing strategy early on that catapulted the young Munich-based company into visibility. Collaborations with well-known faces were a key component.
"Especially in Germany, we've worked with a lot of influencers. Kai Pflaume at the beginning, who's a really nice guy by the way, and worked really well for us. Then there were MontanaBlack, Sophia Thomalla, and Knossi."
This strategy proved crucial. YFood invested specifically in online marketing and its own sales force to gain a presence in supermarkets – and to stay there. Kremer knows that products only get one chance in retail: If they don't sell, they disappear from the shelves.
The interplay of visibility, influencer marketing, and direct presence in retail makes YFood a brand that radiates far beyond the product – an approach strongly reminiscent of Red Bull.
Freedom as a driving force
Despite his success, Kremer remains down-to-earth. Material goals have never driven him, he says. What's more important is the freedom to shape one's own life and work. For him, success means creating something that is meaningful and brings joy – not just growth at any cost.
Today, YFood is working to make healthy food accessible worldwide. Kremer's goal remains the same as in 2017, only the scale has changed. He wants to create a global brand that rethinks nutrition and is internationally relevant.
