ESN

What ESN does

ESN (legal entity: Fitmart GmbH & Co. KG) is a German sports nutrition brand founded in 2005 and headquartered in Elmshorn, with research and development based in Hamburg. The company manufactures in-house in Germany a multi-category portfolio spanning protein powders (Designer Whey combining concentrate and isolate, and Isoclear clear whey isolate via microfiltration), creatine in powder, capsule, gummy, and stick formats, pre-workout and electrolyte products (Crank, HydroLoad), protein bars (Designer Bar with Soft-Core embedding technology, GOAT Bar), functional foods (Flexpresso protein coffee, Ultra Syrup, rice pudding), and a vitals range that includes Omega-3, a 4-in-1 Magnesium Complex, Ashwa+ capsules using patented KSM-66 Ashwagandha, immunity, and dual-formula sleep products. ESN operates under FSSC 22000 and HACCP certifications and runs approximately 80,000 independent lab tests annually, including Kölner Liste anti-doping screening.

The business model is direct-to-consumer e-commerce first: the primary sales channel is esn.com, built on Shopify's unified commerce platform that parent The Quality Group uses across ESN, More Nutrition, and the recently acquired Raw Nutrition and BUM Energy brands, processing roughly 10 million orders per year. Pricing is unit-based and modular, with creatine powder at €29.90 (€59.80/kg), Designer Whey at €45.90 per 908 g tub, Isoclear at €62.67/kg, ashwagandha capsules at €23.90, and Magnesium Complex at €31.90, supported by a subscribe-and-save option, a MentionMe referral program (€15 vouchers on both sides), and an AWIN affiliate program. Marketing runs through paid search (Google, Amazon), paid social (Meta, TikTok), organic social, content/SEO on esn.com, and event sponsorships including Haspa Marathon Hamburg (starting 2026), GLORY Last Heavyweight Standing, Mr. Olympia, Arnold Classic, and Hyrox World Champion endorsements.

Customer segments are primarily athletes and fitness enthusiasts, hybrid athletes, vegan/plant-based consumers, health-conscious general consumers, and UK consumers following the January 2025 launch, all served in Germany, the UK (from January 2025), and Italy (from November 2025) with international shipping via Forward2me to adjacent markets.

Name

ESN

Legal name

Fitmart GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://esn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ESN is a German sports nutrition brand (Fitmart GmbH & Co. KG, founded 2005) producing protein powders, creatine in multiple formats, pre-workout, electrolytes, protein bars, and vitamins, sold primarily direct-to-consumer via esn.com to athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and hybrid athletes across Germany, the UK, and Italy as part of The Quality Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Nutrition

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Nutrition (Protein, Creatine, Pre-Workout/Intra-Workout) (CRADAGAA)

Keywords

• Sports nutrition supplements
• Whey protein powder
• Creatine supplements
• Protein bars
• Dietary supplements

Headquarters

HQ city

Elmshorn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer E-commerce: Online sales through esn.com website using Shopify platform, representing the primary revenue channel. Parent company The Quality Group processes approximately 10 million orders annually across portfolio brands.
2. Multi-Brand Portfolio Sales: Revenue from ESN brand and portfolio siblings More Nutrition and Raw Nutrition through unified commerce platform. Raw Nutrition acquired in 2025, adding American market presence.
3. B2B and Retail Distribution: Wholesale and retail distribution through online marketplaces and international markets, including UK launch in January 2025 and Italy launch in November 2025.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

ESN manufactures and sells a German-made sports nutrition product portfolio including whey protein powders (Designer Whey, Isoclear clear whey isolate, Flexpresso protein coffee), creatine supplements (powder, capsules, gummies, sticks), protein bars (Designer Bar, GOAT Bar), pre-workout and electrolyte performance products (Crank, HydroLoad), and a vitamins/wellness line (Ashwa+ Ashwagandha, Magnesium Complex, Omega-3, Sleep, Immunity, Fundamental daily muscle-building). Products are sold direct-to-consumer via esn.com and distributed in Germany, the UK and Italy, with in-house production certified to FSSC 22000 and HACCP standards.

Product overview

ESN (Elite Sports Nutrition) is a German multi-category sports nutrition brand offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered on protein supplements, creatine products, performance boosters, vitamins, and specialty food products. The core offerings include Designer Whey Protein (Germany's leading whey protein combining concentrate and isolate), Isoclear (clear whey isolate), and various protein bars (Designer Bar with up to 15g protein, GOAT Bar). The company has expanded into multiple creatine formats including gummies, powder, capsules, and sticks. Performance products include Crank pre-workout booster and HydroLoad electrolytes. The vitamin range covers omega-3, ashwagandha, magnesium complex (with four different forms), immunity support, and dual-formula sleep products. ESN produces in-house in Germany with FSSC 22000 and HACCP certifications, and conducts approximately 80,000 tests annually across their production facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Designer Whey: Germany's No. 1 Whey Protein powder brand with over 10 flavors
• Isoclear
• Ultrapure Creatine
• Creatine Gummies
• Designer Bar
• GOAT Bar
• Flexpresso
• Ashwa+
• Magnesium Complex
• HydroLoad
• Crank
• Daily
• Fundamental

Products and services

• Designer Whey Protein

Quantifiable outcome

• Perfect Base product can increase speed and performance by up to 14% over 12 weeks through bioactive Endurance Peptides
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Haspa Marathon HamburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 February 2026ESN becomes Official Nutrition Partner of the Haspa Marathon Hamburg starting in 2026. Partnership includes product supply, event presence, and support at additional running events organized by Marathon Hamburg Veranstaltung (MHV). ESN will provide hydration and energy products for marathon participants.
• GLORYcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 April 2025ESN is Official Nutrition Partner of GLORY's Last Heavyweight Standing combat sports event, providing sports nutrition products for fighters and event presence.
• Raw Nutrition and BUM EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2025The Quality Group (ESN parent) acquired American brands Raw Nutrition and BUM Energy. Founders Dom Iacovone and Chris Bumstead become co-owners of The Quality Group, bringing proven track record of growing brands to several hundred million dollars in annual revenue.
• Robot FoodminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2024Design agency Robot Food provided vibrant new brand identity and visual redesign for German nutrition brand ESN, creating fresh look and feel for product packaging and marketing materials.
• Hyrox World ChampionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMultiple Hyrox World Champions endorse ESN endurance product line including Perfect Base, Hydro NRGY Gels, Isoclear Whey Isolate, and performance products. Athletes provide product validation and marketing reach to competitive fitness audience.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationThe Quality Group (ESN parent) transitioned to Shopify's unified commerce platform in 2020, enabling streamlined operations across ESN, More Nutrition, and Raw Nutrition brands. Platform supports online/offline sales through POS system and maintains stability during high-traffic flash sales.
• Forward2meminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational shipping forwarding service enabling ESN products to be shipped to countries where direct delivery is not available, extending global reach beyond ESN's direct shipping markets.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Raw Nutrition: US sports nutrition brand founded by IFBB Pro Chris Bumstead and Dom Iacovone, acquired by The Quality Group in April 2025. Direct product overlap (whey, pre-workout, formulated supplements) with bodybuilding audience focus and US distribution.
• Applied Nutrition: UK-based sports nutrition brand with strong UK gym and retail presence and growing European distribution. Comparable to ESN on whey/creatine catalog, European focus, and mid-market premium positioning.
• Prozis: Portuguese sports nutrition and supplements brand selling direct-to-consumer across Europe with very broad SKU range and aggressive pricing. Closely comparable to ESN in product breadth, European DTC focus, and protein/creatine leadership.
• Bulk Powders: UK sports nutrition brand (rebranded to Bulk) selling protein, creatine, vitamins, and activewear via DTC and European retail. Closely comparable to ESN on product range, value-positioned pricing, and UK/European sports nutrition market overlap.
• MyProtein: UK-based sports nutrition powerhouse owned by THG, offering whey, creatine, pre-workout, vitamins, and activewear at scale through global DTC e-commerce. Direct overlap with ESN across virtually every product category and identical D2C-first GTM.

Broad incumbents

• Optimum Nutrition: US-based global sports nutrition brand (Glanbia-owned), gold standard for whey and serious performance supplements with deep gym distribution. Comparable on product (Gold Standard Whey, creatine) and target buyer, but operates at much larger global scale and broader retail footprint.
• Cellucor (C4 Energy): US sports nutrition brand built on the C4 pre-workout franchise, with full range of protein, creatine, and energy supplements. Comparable on product line breadth and gym-channel credibility but with stronger North American distribution.

Emerging players

• Klean Athlete: NSF Certified for Sport supplement brand targeting professional and competitive athletes with purity-tested formulations. Comparable to ESN on quality/anti-doping positioning (Kölner Liste equivalent) and athlete-targeted marketing.
• Ghost Lifestyle: US sports nutrition and lifestyle brand known for branded collaborations and flavor-forward whey/protein products. Comparable to ESN on premium positioning, brand-driven packaging, and cult consumer following, though smaller scale.

Others

• More Nutrition: Sister brand under The Quality Group alongside ESN, focused on women's sports nutrition and weight management. Same parent, shared Shopify platform, and shared R&D — a portfolio peer rather than a true competitor, but the most directly comparable operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtIISco2Brx3V51J_Yowt1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/ESNsupplements/?locale=de_DE
• Instagraminstagram.com/esncom/?hl=de
• TikToktiktok.com/@esncom
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fitmart-gmbh-co-kg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 ESN