Nestlé is offloading its majority stake in German spices and teas maker Ankerkraut.
The Swiss food giant described the transfer of its holding back to Ankerkraut’s founding family members, Anne and Stefan Lemcke, as “based on a common understanding of Ankerkraut’s future needs and positioning”.
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In a statement yesterday (15 April), Nestlé added: “In view of the changed market situation, both sides are convinced that this decision gives the brand additional entrepreneurial leeway to drive the future development of the company even more flexibly and quickly.”
The KitKat maker had acquired the stake in Ankerkraut in 2022 from investors including EMZ Partners, Freigeist Capital and Knälmann Ventures, with the founders then moving to roles as brand ambassadors.
The companies have assured “continuity” for staff, business partners and customers.
Financial terms of the deal were not revealed.
Alexander von Maillot, the CEO of Nestlé’s operations in Germany, said: “The decision is in line with Nestlé’s ongoing strategic transformation and brand focus, which aims to further sharpen and align the portfolio more clearly.”
Husband-and-wife team Stefan and Anne Lemcke founded Ankerkraut in 2013.
“Now we are looking forward to developing the brand ourselves again and opening a new chapter for Ankerkraut,” they said in a joint statement.
Ankerkraut follows an omni-channel sales strategy, serving customers through direct-to-consumer and retail channels. The company has around 160 employees.
Its portfolio includes over 500 spices and spice blends, teas and accessories, with its products marketed as containing “no artificial additives”.
The products are sold online and at food retailers and specialist stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Ankerkraut also has its own stores in Hamburg and Bochum.
In February, Nestlé set out plans to hand the remaining ice-cream business that does not sit within its Froneri joint venture to the business it co-owns with private-equity firm PAI Partners. Nestlé said it was in “advanced negotiations” with UK-based Froneri for the assets.
The reassessment of parts of Nestlé’s portfolio since CEO Philipp Navratil took the helm in September has also seen the sale of its stake in the Herta charcuterie business to Casa Tarradellas.
Nestlé is reportedly making headway with a process to sell a stake in its water business.
Before Navratil was appointed CEO, Nestlé last year launched a “strategic review of our mainstream and value brands” within the vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS) business.
Navratil said in February the company was pressing on with “the carve out of mainstream VMS. The non-core brands have been identified and we’re working on the operational separation plan, and the formal sale process will commence shortly”.
Nestlé is scheduled to announce its sales for the first quarter of 2026 next Thursday.
