Foodspring

Foodspring was established in Berlin in 2013 by Tobias Schüle and Philipp Schrempp together with ECONA AG. It entered the market during a period when sports nutrition was expanding beyond specialist bodybuilding and endurance communities into mainstream wellness and everyday diet. The company's product concept combined conventional supplements, such as protein powder and shakes, with food formats including bars, porridge and pancake mixes. This gave the brand a broader functional-food identity than a supplement-only business. The company built its proposition around fitness-oriented consumers and sold primarily through a digitally focused model. Its products were marketed as convenient ways to increase protein intake or adapt ordinary meals to active lifestyles. Foodspring subsequently expanded internationally, with products sold in 17 countries. The available reference material records favorable product coverage in publications including GQ Germany and Vogue Germany, but does not provide enough evidence to quantify the effect of those reviews on sales or brand awareness. Mars Inc. acquired Foodspring in 2019 through Mars Edge, its investment arm. The transaction was reported at approximately €300 million. Foodspring had about 130 employees at the time, and the founders were initially expected to continue in their respective positions. The acquisition placed the brand within a large international food company while preserving its identity as a specialized sports-nutrition business. The founders left Foodspring in 2021, and Gerrit Meier replaced them in the company's leadership. By 2024, the company was reported to have approximately 180 employees. Christian Bubenheim became chief executive in 2023. These changes occurred as the business continued to operate across multiple European markets and compete in the increasingly crowded sports-nutrition, functional-food and wellness sectors. Foodspring also experienced a product-safety issue in 2020, when a bread mix was recalled because of ethylene oxide contamination. The available reference does not state the quantity affected, the financial impact, or the precise regulatory process, so those details are not included here. On March 4, 2025, Foodspring announced that it would end all customer-facing operations by June 30, 2025, attributing the decision to challenging market conditions. This was a major strategic retreat from direct consumer operations. The supplied sources do not clarify whether Mars retained the trademark, whether products continued through other channels, or whether the corporate entity was later wound up. Foodspring is therefore documented as a brand with announced cessation of customer-facing operations, while its final legal and ownership status remains unresolved.

• 2025

  Customer-facing operations scheduled to end

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  Foodspring announced that all customer-facing operations would end by June 30, 2025 because of challenging market conditions.

• 2023

  Christian Bubenheim becomes chief executive

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  Christian Bubenheim was appointed chief executive officer.

• 2021

  Founders leave the company

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  The two founders departed and Gerrit Meier replaced them in the company's leadership.

• 2020

  Bread mix recall

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  A bread mix was recalled because of ethylene oxide contamination.

• 2019

  Acquired by Mars

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  Mars Inc. acquired Foodspring through Mars Edge in a transaction reported at approximately €300 million.

• 2013

  Foodspring founded in Berlin

  [1]Foodspringen.wikipedia.org

  Tobias Schüle and Philipp Schrempp founded Foodspring with ECONA AG.

A digitally oriented sports-nutrition and functional-food brand that sought to make protein supplementation and fitness-focused eating accessible in everyday food formats.

• Sports nutrition

  Protein powders and shakes

  Foodspring's core assortment included protein powders and ready-to-prepare shakes designed for consumers seeking convenient protein supplementation around exercise or as part of an active lifestyle. These products anchored the brand in the sports-nutrition category while supporting its broader positioning around everyday fitness eating.

• Sports nutrition

  Protein bars

  Protein bars extended Foodspring's supplement offering into portable snack formats. They were intended for convenient consumption before or after exercise or between meals, reinforcing the brand's effort to present sports nutrition as an accessible part of daily routines rather than a specialist-only product.

• Functional food

  Porridge

  Foodspring sold porridge products as fitness-oriented breakfast foods. The range formed part of the brand's strategy of adapting familiar meal occasions to consumers interested in higher-protein or performance-conscious nutrition.

• Functional food

  Pancake mix

  The pancake mix was marketed as a fitness-oriented alternative to conventional baking and breakfast products. It illustrated Foodspring's move beyond powders and bars into familiar foods associated with active-lifestyle consumption.

• Functional food

  Bread mix

  Foodspring offered a bread mix within its broader range of fitness-oriented everyday foods. A batch or product iteration was recalled in 2020 after ethylene oxide contamination was identified.

• 2025

  Withdrawal from customer-facing operationsStrategy

  Background

  Foodspring cited challenging market conditions affecting the business.

  Action taken

  On March 4, 2025, the company announced that all customer-facing operations would end by June 30, 2025.

  Aftermath

  The announcement represented a planned end to consumer-facing activity, but the later legal, trademark and distribution status of Foodspring is not established by the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2020

  Bread mix recallOther

  Background

  A Foodspring bread mix was found to be affected by ethylene oxide contamination.

  Action taken

  The affected bread mix was recalled.

  Aftermath

  The available material does not report the volume of the recall, its financial cost or further regulatory consequences.

  Source

• 2019

  Mars acquisitionM&A

  Background

  Foodspring was a growing European sports-nutrition and functional-food business with approximately 130 employees at the time of the transaction.

  Action taken

  Mars Inc. acquired the brand through Mars Edge for approximately €300 million, while initially planning for the founders to remain in their leadership positions.

  Aftermath

  The brand continued operating under Mars ownership, later experienced founder departures and leadership changes, and was reported to have approximately 180 employees in 2024.

  Reported acquisition value. (2019 transaction)

  Source

1. 1Foodspringen.wikipedia.org