OMR Podcast - Nono Konopka, Lanch CEO

Self-optimization, veganism, longevity—several mega-trends are fueling the rapidly growing market for dietary supplements. Sunday Natural, based in Berlin, is a leading player in this space. The startup became a unicorn in just ten years without external capital. Following its acquisition by investor CVC—reportedly for 800 million euros—the company is now focused on expanding across Europe.

Verena Zander was a manager at Amazon before taking over as the CEO of Just Spices. The founders of the Düsseldorf-based spice startup stepped back after its acquisition by the U.S. giant Kraft Heinz. Now, Verena Zander is tasked with driving the company's growth, aiming to turn double-digit million revenues into triple-digit figures. However, the challenges are significant. In the OMR Podcast, Verena Zander explains why she initially decided to reduce the product range, how she plans to conquer the U.S. market with Just Spices, and why a spice advent calendar costing nearly 100 euros has become one of the most important revenue drivers.

Steffen Henssler is one of Germany's most famous TV chefs, filling large venues as a live entertainer and successfully selling his own cooking utensils online. In the OMR Podcast, he spoke with Philipp Westermeyer about the role a lottery win played in his life, how he prefers to cook at home, and the current situation with his sushi delivery chain, Go by Steffen Henssler.

In 2023, the undercover reporters from "Team Wallraff" uncovered numerous issues at the fast-food chain Burger King, leading to negative headlines. The company responded swiftly. With lawyer Jörg Ehmer as the new CEO, the franchise chain is undergoing reforms, including inspection visits. In the OMR Podcast, the former CEO of Apollo-Optik discusses his transition from the eyewear business to the burger industry, the success of vegetarian products, and reveals why Burger King needs to become more digital.

Why throw away tons of fruit pits when they can be used to make food? This is the approach of the Austrian startup Kern Tec, which has partnered with the private dairy company Bauer to launch a product line based on apricot pits. Bauer, best known for its signature yogurt "Der große Bauer," is a family-owned company with a long tradition but is fully aware that the dairy business cannot afford to stand still.

Andreas Thümmler has orchestrated million-dollar deals and thrown extravagant parties. With his M&A boutique Corporate Finance Partners, he stirred up the German tech scene in the early 2000s. He then stepped back to fulfill a dream: opening his own whiskey distillery. With St. Kilian, he is now aiming for new heights again—and he is already dreaming of creating his own virtual whiskey currency.

Despite costing over €20 per jar, the demand for Bears with Benefits products has been rising for years. The reason: the gummy bears are not a candy but are designed to help make hair shinier and skin more beautiful. In the OMR Podcast, founders Laurence Saunier and Marlena Hien reveal how they built a million-dollar business without investors, why they're glad they weren’t invited to "Die Höhle der Löwen," and why they have decided to sell their company despite their successes.

Anyone frequenting gyms or consuming protein shakes is likely familiar with ESN, and those engaged with diet products on social media probably know More Nutrition. Both brands, along with several others, belong to The Quality Group (TQG), founded in 2020 in Elmshorn. Mid-year, the group was acquired by the financial investor CVC; the company aims to achieve over €300 million in revenue in 2022. In the OMR Podcast, More Nutrition founder Christian Wolf and TQG CEO Stefan Smalla discuss the strategy and growth of this hidden champion for the first time.

Tim Raue is not only one of Germany’s best chefs; he’s also part of the international top tier. At just 23, he became head chef before starting his own business with his then-wife. They opened Restaurant Tim Raue, which has held two Michelin stars since 2012. Today, he runs seven additional restaurants and is planning a new one in the Berlin TV Tower. Raue has also built an extensive business portfolio outside the kitchen. In the OMR Podcast, he spoke with Philipp Westermeyer about his challenging childhood and youth, his latest projects, and the current challenges in the restaurant industry.

Joining the family business wasn’t initially on Nils Glagau's agenda. Instead of studying business administration, he pursued anthropology, and instead of internships at consulting firms, he assisted with excavations in Central America and Asia. The early death of his father changed everything. In the OMR Podcast, Glagau talks about his entry into the supplement manufacturer Orthomol, the secret formula for doubling revenues to over 150 million euros, and the rumors that he's currently looking for a buyer for his company.

Underberg has been producing bitters for more than 175 years. The company also owns brands such as Asbach Uralt and Pitu, but the company was in crisis a few years ago. With new management and new ideas, the company in Rheinberg is now working on the balancing act between trends and tradition. Company owner Christiane Underberg and manager Michael Söhlke explain in the OMR podcast how they intend to achieve this.

Christoph Schramm's career as a pizza entrepreneur began with a pizzeria in Passau. Since then, he has built up Gustavo Gusto, a rapidly growing provider of frozen pizza with a recent turnover of around 120 million euros. In the OMR podcast, company founder Schramm and marketing mastermind Michael Götz talk about the marketing tricks they used to break the pizza duopoly of Dr. Oetker and Wagner, how they managed to set up production for several hundred thousand pizzas without major investors and how they now want to expand the brand abroad.

Fritz Keller grew up with a winemaker as a father and a mother who was a star chef – it was all about good food and drink from the very beginning. Later, he developed his parents' business further and even supplies Aldi, but under a different name, as the winery 'Franz Keller' is meant to remain premium. In the OMR Podcast, Fritz Keller talks about his time as a football functionary, a star restaurant with 4800 wines on the menu, and of course about the wine treasures that are stored in three tunnels that his family once dug into a mountain to store wine.

In Munich, he operated the legendary P1 and turned an Oktoberfest tent into a hotspot for celebrities – while also building a million-dollar business around the Käfer delicatessen. In the OMR Podcast, delicatessen king Michael Käfer talks about his success, a meeting with former US President Bill Clinton, and the secret to consistently thriving as an Oktoberfest host.