BRAINEFFECT

What BRAINEFFECT does

BRAINEFFECT is a Berlin-based, privately held direct-to-consumer nutritional supplement brand founded in 2016 by Fabian Foelsch and Ulrich Schober. Originally positioned around cognitive performance and nootropics, the company has evolved its core proposition toward gut health and broader wellness, anchored by the proprietary EPx12® bacterial strain complex — an exclusive 12-strain formulation (16 billion living bacteria per serving) developed over six years with a French expert laboratory and grounded in over 100 clinical studies. The product line extends from the flagship Daily Gut powder (Germany's #1 gut powder, with 1.2M+ packs sold) into adjacent categories: Daily Gut + Collagen (beauty-from-within, 2024), Daily Gut + Silhouette (body lightness with Cactinea™, 2024), Daily Gut Limo (ready-to-drink probiotic beverage, 2025), and Whey Digest Protein (fitness/performance, 2025). Third-party quality control is conducted by independent German laboratory Vermicon on every production batch.

The company operates a hybrid distribution model combining DTC e-commerce (brain-effect.com, shipping to 14 European countries) with substantial physical retail presence across 2,500+ German drugstore outlets including dm, Rossmann, Budni, and Müller. Unit pricing ranges from €24.99 (Limo 12-pack) to €69.90 (Daily Gut + Collagen 390g), with bundle discounts of 6–50% and a 60-day money-back guarantee across the catalog. Marketing relies on a self-assessment quiz (15% conversion incentive), a VIB points-based loyalty program, a 20% referral program, influencer co-creation SKUs, and active presence on Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. The company has accumulated 4+ million customers, employs 51–100 people, and serves four primary use cases: digestive health for the 72% of Germans reporting discomfort, beauty-from-within for women, fitness/performance for lactose-sensitive athletes, and stress/sleep support.

Name

BRAINEFFECT

Legal name

BRAINEFFECT

Website

https://brain-effect.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

BRAINEFFECT is a Berlin-based DTC nutritional supplement brand selling gut-health products built around the proprietary EPx12® bacterial strain complex via e-commerce across 14 European countries and 2,500+ German drugstore outlets, serving health-conscious and beauty-focused consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nutritional Supplements

akta.pro primary industry

Probiotics & Digestive Health Supplements (CRADAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Prebiotics & Dietary Fibers (Inulin, FOS/GOS, Resistant Starch, Beta-Glucan, Psyllium) (AFAJAKAF), Refrigerated Probiotics & Functional Shots (CRADACAN)

Keywords

• Gut health supplements
• Probiotic supplements
• Nutritional supplements
• Collagen supplements
• Digestive wellness products

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Products sold directly through company's Shopify e-commerce platform at brain-effect.com with standard pricing and promotional discount codes. Includes subscription-ready repeat purchase model.
2. Retail Distribution: Products distributed through major German drugstore chains dm, Rossmann, Budni, and Müller. Revenue generated through wholesale relationships with retailers.
3. Co-Creation Products: Special edition products developed in collaboration with influencers (e.g., Daily Gut + Collagen with Lizzi, Daily Gut + Silhouette with Moni), sold through both e-commerce and retail channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BRAINEFFECT is a direct-to-consumer brand selling nutritional supplements and functional beverages focused on gut health, digestive wellness, and beauty-from-within. Its flagship Daily Gut powder combines a proprietary 12-strain bacterial complex (EPx12®, 16 billion living bacteria per serving) with prebiotic fibers. The portfolio extends to collagen-infused gut powders, easy-digest whey protein, a probiotic soft drink, and capsules. Products are sold through own e-commerce and major German drugstore chains across 7+ countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Daily Gut Pulver Daily Gut powder is BRAINEFFECT's flagship gut health supplement delivering 16 billion living bacteria from a proprietary 12-strain EPx12® complex plus prebiotic fibers. Designed for health-conscious consumers seeking digestive comfort, microbiome support, and bloating relief. Priced at €49.90 for a 240g (30 servings) pack.
• Daily Gut + Collagen Daily Gut + Collagen is a beauty-from-within supplement combining the EPx12® bacterial complex with 10g collagen, biotin, and riboflavin. Targeted at consumers seeking combined gut health and skin/hair/nail support. Priced at €65.00–€69.90 for 360–390g packs.
• Daily Gut + Silhouette Daily Gut + Silhouette is a special-edition powder combining the EPx12® bacterial complex with Calcium, Vitamin C, and Cactinea™ cactus fig extract for fluid balance and body lightness. Targeted at wellness-focused consumers seeking shape and lightness support alongside gut health. Priced at €59.90 for 240g.
• Whey Digest Protein Whey Digest Protein is an easy-digest whey protein powder combined with bromelain, papain, and lactase enzymes, designed specifically for lactose-sensitive individuals and athletes. Priced at €39.90 for 600g (20 servings), with volume discounts of 5–7%.
• Daily Gut Limo Daily Gut Limo is a ready-to-drink sugar-free probiotic soft drink in lemon-ginger flavor, containing 100 million bacterial cultures and 4g of fiber per can. Targeted at consumers seeking a convenient on-the-go gut health beverage. Priced at €24.99 for 12 cans (330ml each), with a €0.25 deposit per can.
• Gut Care Capsules Gut Care Capsules deliver digestive and immune support in a portable capsule format for consumers preferring capsules over powders. Priced at €35.00 for 60 capsules (35g).
• Sparpakete (Bundle Packs) Sparpakete bundle packs combine multiple BRAINEFFECT products into value packs (e.g., Gut Reset Pack at €110.30, Complete Gut Bundle at €109.90) with discounts of 6–50% versus individual item pricing. Designed for customers seeking a multi-product regimen.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% recommendation rate among Daily Gut customers
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Whitewall GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhitewall GmbH is the trademark holder for EPx12®, the exclusive 12-strain bacterial complex developed collaboratively with BRAINEFFECT. This partnership is central to BRAINEFFECT's competitive advantage in gut health products.
• VermiconcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndependent German laboratory conducting purity testing and certification for all BRAINEFFECT product batches. Ensures bacterial diversity and quality standards for every product.
• French Expert LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading laboratory in France that collaborated with BRAINEFFECT for 6 years to develop the EPx12® bacterial strain complex based on over 100 clinical studies.
• dm DrogeriemarktcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor German drugstore chain with 2,500+ stores. Primary retail partner for BRAINEFFECT products. Daily Gut Limo has sold over 300,000 units through dm and Rossmann combined.
• RossmanncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman drugstore chain retail partner distributing BRAINEFFECT products in physical stores.
• BudnicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman regional drugstore chain partner for retail distribution.
• MüllercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGerman retail chain partner for product distribution.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OMNi-BiOTiC (Institut AllergoSan): Austrian/German probiotic supplement brand owned by Institut AllergoSan. Sells multi-strain bacterial complex supplements across DACH via pharmacy and online channels, directly competing with BRAINEFFECT's Daily Gut in the same consumer occasion and geography.
• Sunday Naturals: German D2C nutritional supplements brand selling vitamins, minerals, and probiotics direct-to-consumer. Comparable business model (D2C-led, German quality positioning, broad wellness portfolio) and overlapping target customer.
• nu3: Berlin-based D2C nutrition and supplement brand offering functional foods, proteins, and gut health products. Direct competitor in DACH e-commerce for nutrition-minded consumers.
• Bio-Kult: UK-based probiotic brand (owned by Protexin) selling multi-strain bacterial complexes via retail and pharmacy. Directly comparable product format (capsule/sachet probiotic complex) targeting similar digestive health needs.
• Symprove: UK-based D2C probiotic drink brand with proprietary live bacteria formula. Comparable gut-health positioning, premium pricing, and direct-to-consumer-led model with retail expansion.
• Lactobact: German probiotic supplement brand focused on intestinal health with multi-strain bacterial complexes. Sells through German pharmacies and health food retailers, overlapping directly with BRAINEFFECT's gut health portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Yakult: Global Japanese probiotic dairy drink brand with established retail presence across Europe including Germany. Competes in the functional probiotic beverage occasion overlapping with Daily Gut Limo, with vastly larger scale and brand awareness.
• Actimel (Danone): Danone's flagship probiotic yogurt drink sold across European retail including dm and Rossmann. Direct competition in the functional probiotic beverage category with massive CPG scale and shelf bargaining power.

Emerging players

• Seed: US-based D2C probiotics brand with scientifically-positioned multi-strain formulations and subscription model. Highly comparable product positioning and GTM approach, but operating in North America rather than Europe.
• InnovixLabs: North American D2C supplement brand with multi-strain probiotic formulations. Comparable product format and direct-to-consumer subscription model, though serving a different geographic market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@braineffect
• Xx.com/braineffect
• Facebookfacebook.com/braineffect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/braineffect-performance-food

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BRAINEFFECT