Why does beer always have to be golden or amber? Five Weihenstephan students are currently working on a blue-colored mixed drink. It tastes berry-like and is brewed according to the Cologne brewing style. Now Jochen Schweizer is investing in the Freising startup BABO Beverages.
The deal, which originated from the VOX TV show "Die Höhle der Löwen," was completed after intensive review. Jochen Schweizer and Lencke Steiner each hold 12.55 percent of the company. The startup will receive funding from both investors. a total of over 100,000 eurosto further drive growth. In addition, the "Lions" provide the founding team with expertise, including on sales, communications, and strategy-related topics.
With their brand BABO blue, the five founders Robin Stein (27), Hans-Kaspar Mayer (23), Ludwig Gerlinger (24), Josef Kimberger (25), and Patrick Loy (24) offer something extraordinary: a blue beer mix. The beer mix consisting of 60 percent beer and 40 percent berry lemonade with the fruity taste of blueberry, blackberry, and blackcurrant won the renowned Innovation Competition for Beverages and Food (IGL) of the Technical University of Munich.
Blue beer conquers the international market
The blue beer creation is now available in hypermarkets such as REWE and Metro, and the founders have even registered their brand throughout Europe. The first major orders for Slovenia and Croatia have been placed, and the five students are also in negotiations with a distribution partner in China.
Furthermore, the young entrepreneurs are currently working on exciting new creations that are scheduled to be launched in summer 2016. "The deal with Jochen Schweizer and Lencke Steiner is a milestone for us. Since the company was founded in February 2015, we've been passionate about our BABO blue and have sold over 100,000 bottles to date—all from a rented shared room.", says Robin Stein from BABO blue. "But we're slowly reaching our capacity here. This deal comes at exactly the right time, as it allows us to elevate the company to a professional level with an extremely competent and dedicated team in the background. It's extremely motivating to see how strongly Jochen and Lencke personally support the product and us as a team."
“The five founders and the product convinced me on the show”, explains Jochen Schweizer. "I'm sure that BABO blue has great potential in the rapidly developing market for mixed beer drinks – both internationally and globally. With the five founders, the brand is backed by a hard-working, highly motivated, and fantastic team."
In an interview with the Technical University of Munich, co-founder Robin Stein answered questions about the unusual beer mix:
What is special about BABO blue?
Robin Stein: BABO blue is a beer mix consisting of 60 percent beer and 40 percent soda, which we developed for the IGL competition. What makes it unusual is its blue color, for which we use a secret ingredient. Because the taste also had to match the color, we chose the flavor of dark, "blue" berries like blueberries and blackberries.
And how did you come up with the idea?
Stone: We collected various ideas for the competition. It had to be a new, innovative beverage. We deliberately wanted to create a product that bucked the omnipresent organic trend. We simply liked the blue beer mix the most. Blue is an unusual and striking color for a beverage. It also evokes positive emotions like serenity or friendship, which many people also associate with beer.
