Who this is
Anne and Stefan Lemcke founded the Hamburg spice brand Ankerkraut in 2013 with all of Stefan's savings and an overloaded Skoda estate car they used to collect salt and spices from the mill. Stefan moved to Tanzania at the age of two, where his parents worked in development aid, and learned from the family's cook how to dry, grind and blend spices. Before Ankerkraut he was self-employed in the online world. Anne came from the music industry, where she worked in PR and marketing, and was on parental leave when the company started. In 2016 the two opened season three of Die Höhle der Löwen, Germany's Shark Tank, and Frank Thelen invested 300,000 euros for 20 percent. Ankerkraut grew to almost 50 million euros in revenue and 15 to 18 million jars a year. After the deaths of Stefan's parents they brought in the private equity fund EMZ and sold to Nestlé in 2022. What followed was an online backlash, a depression for Stefan and then a body transformation that shed around 50 kilos of fat. Four years after the exit the Lemckes bought Ankerkraut back, closing on 14 March 2026, this time without outside investors. The couple have two children and around 25 angel investments.
Episodes
Numbers from the episode
FAQ
What became of Frank Thelen's investment in Ankerkraut?
Frank Thelen invested 300,000 euros for 20 percent on Die Höhle der Löwen in 2016, a valuation of 1.5 million euros. Ankerkraut had already made 1.7 million euros in revenue with a profit the year before, which is why Stefan still finds the valuation tough. According to Stefan his multiple was somewhere between double and triple digits; he is not allowed to be more precise. In total Ankerkraut raised only 500,000 euros from investors. Thelen is not part of the buyback. To the episode →
How big was Ankerkraut before the exit?
At its peak Ankerkraut made almost 50 million euros in revenue and produced 15 to 18 million jars a year, sold directly to consumers and through retail. The company started in 2013 with a Skoda estate in which Anne collected salt and spices from the mill. According to the episode description, more than 200 people worked at Ankerkraut. The new bestseller after the return is a Bud Spencer and Terence Hill spice box the team developed while the Lemckes were away. To the episode →
Quotes
„Also nicht nur wir persönlich haben gelitten, sondern die Marke auch. Und das ist was, was du nicht in Excel steuern kannst.““It wasn't just us who suffered personally, the brand did too. And that's something you can't steer in Excel.”