Foodpunk wins first prize at Breakthrough 2018 Award

109 start-ups competed in nine categories. In a user vote, 3 favorites were chosen in each category. These 27 start-ups made it into the jury’s decision. The top-class jury consisted of experts from science as well as investors, founders and company leaders. The first winner will receive an advertising budget in WEKA MEDIA PUBLISHING’s online and print media of 300,000 euros, a cash prize of 10,000 euros and further advertising opportunities of 200,000 Edgar Cards.

We are happy and still a little flattened. We say thank you to the jury and thank you to all who voted so energetically for us in the reader voting. We would also like to thank everyone who reported on us after the award – including StartupValley. Their message I take over here.

On the evening of Jan. 24, 2018, the Munich-based startup was named the first winner of the Breakthrough 2018 Awards. The startup thus prevailed over 108 other applicants from all over Germany.

• Foodpunk wins 1st prize at Breakthrough 2018 Award
• Nutrition startup creates digital personalized nutrition plans and gluten-free, low-carb foods
• The jury is convinced by the motivation of the founders, the high level of initiative and the success achieved so far.

Foodpunk is a Munich-based nutrition startup founded in 2015 by nutritionist Marina Lommel (28). Since then, Foodpunk has been dedicated to the mission of making healthy eating suitable for everyday life, delicious and uncomplicated and, above all, to impart a large portion of fun with this topic.

Foodpunk’s offering focuses on digital nutrition advice. Thus, after an initial online medical history, customers receive a nutrition plan tailored to their nutrient needs. The change of diet is intensively supported online by experts in nutritional science and biochemistry. The community is also particularly important – the close exchange with other participants

“Foodpunk is the nutrition expert in your pocket and the nutrition advice of the future” says Marina Lommel.

Manuel Lommel (23) has been a co-partner in the company since 2017: “I watched my sister with her project for two years and helped out every now and then. The enthusiasm and energy for the cause infected me. So in 2017, I first joined Foodpunk as a support, but then sold my car and invested money in the startup.”

So far, the startup has managed without outside investors. With combined forces, the startup grew and was able to hire its first employees. The first 12 sqm office was bursting at the seams. This was followed by a move to Neubiberg into larger office and storage space. In response to many customer requests, the team developed its first baking mixes for bread and muffins in 2017. These differ from conventional baking mixes in that no cereal flours, sugar additives or flavorings are used. All products are completely gluten-free, free of added sugar and thus have only a low carbohydrate content and hardly any effect on blood sugar levels.

Marina Lommel: “We don’t want to spread rules with a raised forefinger, but create opportunities and offer alternatives. We succeed in this with the nutrition programs, with free recipes on the blog and also with our brand new baking mixes. We want to prove that everything goes together: Healthy nutrition, fun at the food and pleasure without experienced renunciation. That’s why we’re always coming up with specials, like fine filled chocolates for Valentine’s Day with great nut mushes – without sugar.”

Manuel Lommel: “We all work around the clock for Foodpunk and are happy to work 15-hour shifts for big events or spend the whole night at it. Just as you would imagine startup life to be. For Marina, money has never been the priority, but always the vision.
When she has an idea, she can’t sleep until she implements it. This also impressed the jury. Marina and I also make all the baking mixes ourselves, sift and bottle them, and then stand floured in the production kitchen. I’m sure it’s a fun sight for our employees.”