YFood
YFood is a Munich-based Smart Food brand founded in 2017, selling nutritionally complete meal replacement drinks, powders, bars, and hot bowls through D2C e-commerce in 30+ countries and 35,000+ retail stores across Europe.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What YFood does
YFood (legal entity: yfood Labs GmbH) is a Munich-based privately held food technology company founded in 2017 by Benjamin Kremer and Noel Bollmann, operating in the meal replacement category it labels 'Smart Food.' The company's product portfolio spans four formats: ready-to-drink beverages (500ml bottles providing ~500 kcal, 25% of daily nutrient requirements, and up to 30g protein per serving), powder mixes for shakes (~400 kcal per serving, 12 servings per bag), meal replacement bars (60g, 180–230 kcal), and warm Hot Bowls requiring only hot water. All products are formulated with complete macronutrient profiles containing 26 vitamins and minerals, are gluten-free, and offer lactose-free dairy or fully plant-based protein options. The products are manufactured using ultra-high temperature (UHT) aseptic processing, delivering a 12-month shelf life without refrigeration or preservatives — a property the company uses to target occupational and emergency-nutrition use cases alongside its primary consumer base.
YFood sells through a dual distribution model: direct-to-consumer e-commerce (yfood.com) supporting 30+ countries in 7 languages with one-time purchases, trial packs, and a subscription offering 15% recurring discount managed through the Recharge portal; and physical retail distribution through 35,000+ stores across 8+ countries, including dm, Edeka, Kaufland, Rewe, Rossmann, Tesco, Carrefour, Albert Heijn, Coop, and Holland & Barrett. Pricing ranges from €1.98 per meal (powder, subscription) to €3.99 per drink (one-time), with a €10 deposit per bottle under the German Pfand system and free shipping above €45. Marketing is primarily product-led and influencer-driven across Instagram and TikTok, supported by a €10/€10 referral program and a University of Lübeck satiety study used as the primary evidence-based claim.
The company self-describes as the German market leader in the Smart Food category, with cumulative sales of 200+ million meals since founding. Headcount stands at 150+ employees in Munich, with no disclosed external funding rounds — founders remain active and ownership appears concentrated with the founding team. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and no AI/ML capabilities, patents, M&A, or institutional investment are documented in the available source material.
YFood firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- YFood
- Legal name
- yfood Labs GmbH
- Website
- https://yfood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- YFood is a Munich-based Smart Food brand founded in 2017, selling nutritionally complete meal replacement drinks, powders, bars, and hot bowls through D2C e-commerce in 30+ countries and 35,000+ retail stores across Europe.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
YFood industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Meal Replacement Products
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Weight Management & Meal Replacement Foods Manufacturing (Shakes, Bars, Portion-Controlled Meals) (AFAKAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Protein & Meal-Replacement Beverage Production (RTD Shakes) (AFAFAFAD), Dairy-Based Protein & Meal Replacement Shakes (RTD Dairy Shakes) (AFAFAEAD), Plant-Based Protein Shakes & Nutritional RTD (Non-Dairy) (AFAFAEAH), Alternative Protein Snacks, Bars & RTD Nutrition Manufacturing (AFAKAGAK)
Keywords
Where YFood is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
YFood business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-Commerce Sales (One-Time): YFood sells products directly to consumers through its e-commerce storefront (yfood.com), offering drinks, powders, bars, trial packs, and bundles at listed retail prices. One-time purchases constitute the primary direct revenue stream.
- Subscription / Recurring Orders: YFood offers a subscription model providing 15% discount on every order with no minimum commitment. Subscribers can modify delivery frequency, product selection, and quantities at any time, and can pause or cancel without penalty. The subscription drives recurring revenue and customer lifetime value through the Recharge customer portal.
- Retail / Wholesale Distribution: YFood products are sold through retail channel partners (supermarkets, drugstores, health food stores) across 8+ international markets. Products are distributed through major chains including dm, Edeka, Kaufland, Rewe, Rossmann, Netto, Penny, Globus, tegut (DACH), Tesco, Carrefour, Albert Heijn, and Coop. Revenue is generated through wholesale purchase orders from retail distributors.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Ready-to-drink meal (500ml) — one-time purchase |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Powder / Shake — one-time purchase (12 meals per bag) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bars — one-time purchase (12 x 60g per pack) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Trial Packs (Tasterpakete) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Subscription Plan |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
YFood product offering
Product offeringCore offering
YFood manufactures and sells a portfolio of nutritionally complete meal replacement products under the "Smart Food" category, including ready-to-drink beverages (500ml, 500 kcal, 25% of daily nutrient needs), powder shake mixes (400 kcal per serving), 60g meal replacement bars, and warm savory Hot Bowls. Products are formulated with up to 30g protein, 26 vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber, with lactose-free, gluten-free, classic, and vegan variants, and are shelf-stable for 12 months without preservatives via UHT aseptic processing.
Product overview
YFood is a German meal replacement company operating under the 'Smart Food' concept, offering a portfolio of nutritionally complete food products designed for convenient consumption when time is limited. The product lineup includes ready-to-drink beverages (Drinks), powder mixes for shakes (Pulver), meal replacement bars (Riegel), and warm savory meals (Hot Bowls). All products are categorized as meal replacements with balanced macronutrient profiles, containing protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The company also offers subscription services and taster packs. YFood positions itself as an alternative to fast food and convenience meals, emphasizing scientific nutrition research and product development collaboration with food technologists.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Smart Food: Product category name for YFood's complete nutrient profile meal replacement products including drinks, powders, bars, and hot bowls
Products and services
- yfood Drinks (Trinkmahlzeiten) Ready-to-drink meal replacement beverages in 500ml bottles (and 330ml smaller format) providing 500 kcal per serving, covering approximately 25% of daily nutrient needs, with up to 30g protein and 26 vitamins and minerals. Available in classic, vegan, and fruity variants at €3.99 per meal.
- yfood Pulver (Powders) Powder mix for preparing meal replacement shakes, sold in 12-serving bags (400 kcal per serving) containing protein, carbohydrates, fats, and 26 vitamins and minerals when mixed with water. Available in classic and vegan variants at approximately €2.08 per meal.
- yfood Riegel (Bars) Meal replacement bars weighing 60g each (180-230 kcal) designed as snacks for between meals, containing up to 14g protein and 25 vitamins and minerals per bar. Sold in 12-pack boxes at €2.67 per bar.
- yfood Hot Bowls Warm, savory meal replacement options with a base of rice/quinoa or gluten-free pasta, vegetables, plant oils, protein sources, herbs, and spices. Require simple preparation with hot water for hot, complete meal consumption.
- yfood Probierpakete (Taster Packs) Curated multi-flavor sample packs of drinks, powders, or bars (5 x 500ml drinks at €19.95, 10 x 85g classic powder at €29.99, 8-bar pack at €21.99) designed to let consumers sample multiple flavors before committing to full-size purchases.
- yfood Subscription (Abonnement) Subscription service offering 15% discount on every order with flexible delivery intervals; customers can customize frequency, flavor, and quantities, and can pause or cancel anytime with no minimum commitment, operated through the Recharge customer portal.
- Citrus Collection (Limited Edition) Limited edition citrus-flavored product collection released as a seasonal variant of the YFood ready-to-drink meal replacement line.
- Summer Edition 2026 Seasonal summer limited edition product release of YFood fruity drinks promoted via the Summer Edition 2026 campaign banner on yfood.com.
Quantifiable outcome
- YFood ready-to-drink meals produce significantly better satiety than a burger or Caesar salad in a study conducted with the University of Lübeck, while also providing a more complete nutrient profile
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use YFood
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
YFood technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
YFood partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- University of LübeckcoreCollaborative scientific research partnership with the University of Lübeck to study the satiety effects of YFood products compared to traditional convenience foods. Published findings demonstrated that YFood ready-to-drink meals produce significantly better satiety than a burger or Caesar salad while providing more complete nutrition. This research provides the company's primary evidence-based marketing claim for product efficacy.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
YFood competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Huel: UK-based direct competitor offering complete-nutrition shakes, powders, and bars with strong DTC and global retail presence. Closely comparable product mix, target customer (busy professionals seeking complete nutrition), and category positioning to YFood.
- Jimmy Joy: Dutch meal-replacement brand selling shakes, powders, and bars across Europe with a strong subscription DTC model. Highly comparable in product format, European distribution strategy, and price-sensitive target customer.
- Saturo: Munich-based RTD meal replacement competitor operating in DACH markets with ready-to-drink shakes and powders. Directly comparable product format, German home-market focus, and target consumer profile.
- Feed. German complete-meal shake brand with strong DTC subscription business and retail presence in DACH. Directly comparable in formulation philosophy (complete nutrition in a drink) and target use case.
- Queal: Dutch meal-replacement brand selling shakes, hot meals, and bars across Europe with DTC focus. Comparable product format (including hot meal formats akin to YFood's Hot Bowls) and European distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Soylent: US pioneer of meal-replacement shakes, powders, and bars with broader international footprint. Comparable core product category and consumer positioning; broader incumbent brand vs. YFood's European specialization.
- MyProtein: Large European sports-nutrition and meal-replacement brand (owned by THG) with extensive DTC and retail distribution. Comparable product categories (shakes, powders, bars) but broader sports-nutrition portfolio versus YFood's meal-replacement focus.
Emerging players
- nu3: Berlin-based functional-food brand with meal-replacement shakes and nutrition products. Partially comparable in product and DACH market overlap, but operates as a broader functional-food platform rather than a pure meal-replacement specialist.
- Laird Superfood: US functional-food brand with shelf-stable drink mixes and nutrition products aimed at active consumers. Comparable in functional-nutrition positioning and shelf-stable format, but US-focused with weaker direct overlap in DACH.
- Ambronite: Nordic-origin RTD meal-replacement shake brand with European DTC distribution. Comparable product format and target consumer (busy professionals seeking complete nutrition), though smaller scale than YFood.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
YFood social profiles
Digital presenceYFood compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
YFood financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
YFood leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
YFood funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
YFood M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about YFood
What does YFood do?
YFood manufactures and sells a portfolio of nutritionally complete meal replacement products under the "Smart Food" category, including ready-to-drink beverages (500ml, 500 kcal, 25% of daily nutrient needs), powder shake mixes (400 kcal per serving), 60g meal replacement bars, and warm savory Hot Bowls. Products are formulated with up to 30g protein, 26 vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber, with lactose-free, gluten-free, classic, and vegan variants, and are shelf-stable for 12 months without preservatives via UHT aseptic processing.
Is YFood a public or private company?
YFood is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was YFood founded?
YFood was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is YFood based?
YFood is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does YFood make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct E-Commerce Sales (One-Time) is the primary driver. The others are subscription / Recurring Orders and retail / Wholesale Distribution.
Who are YFood's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Huel, Jimmy Joy, Saturo, Feed. and Queal. Broad incumbents are Soylent and MyProtein. Emerging players are nu3, Laird Superfood and Ambronite.
Does YFood have an API?
No public API is recorded for YFood.
What industry is YFood in?
YFood's product category is Meal Replacement Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAKAJAF, Weight Management & Meal Replacement Foods Manufacturing (Shakes, Bars, Portion-Controlled Meals), with a secondary code of AFAFAFAD, Protein & Meal-Replacement Beverage Production (RTD Shakes). Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2080.