Houlihan Lokey Advises Foodspring

Houlihan Lokey is pleased to announce the sale of foodspring, a direct-to-consumer functional food company based in Berlin and led by its founders, to Mars Edge. The transaction closed on 9 September 2019.

foodspring was founded by entrepreneurs Philipp Schrempp and Tobias Schüle with their financial co-founding partner ECONA AG in 2013. It is now one of the largest and fastest growing European functional food businesses, with currently six European focus markets and 130 associates. foodspring is a premium brand that offers on-trend, evidence-based, and data-driven products for consumers who care about sports performance, healthy living, and staying in shape. Some of their products include protein shakes, supplements, snacks and bars, muesli and porridge, smart cooking solutions, and drinks. The company operates under the principle that "the right food is the key for a fitter, happier, and more productive life". In addition to its targeted nutrition products, foodspring also supports consumers with advice and coaching on nutrition and fitness through its content platform with a dedicated "Coach" section on the website and the stand-alone "The Magazine" as well as nutritionists in customer service. The foodspring Body Check helps consumers with personalised advice on finding the right products for their needs.

Mars Edge, a new business within Mars founded in 2017, is dedicated to improving human health and wellness through targeted nutrition and using a "buy, build, partner" strategy to drive its business growth. The addition of foodspring to Mars Edge's portfolio strengthens its purpose for better lives through nutrition.

Houlihan Lokey acted as exclusive financial advisor to foodspring's shareholders and negotiated all aspects of the transaction on their behalf. This most recent transaction further strengthens Houlihan Lokey's leadership in the high-growth branded health, wellness, and online direct-to-consumer universes and highlights continued momentum in the food and beverage sector. This transaction also underpins Houlihan Lokey's strong cross-border capabilities.