Your favorite shop around the corner – an interview with Kraut & Korn

by | Sep 9, 2020 | Best Practice & Stories | 18 comments

1 year of spices, 1 year “Kraut und Korn” and a wonderful partnership are a great occasion for us to learn more about the founder Hendrik of “Kraut und Korn”. We talked to him about advice for other founders and learned what the baptism of his son had to do with the idea for “Kraut und Korn”. 

Hello Hendrik, you’ve just celebrated your first birthday. Congratulations! What are the best moments and highlights in your young brand history?

A special highlight was our self-made market stand one year ago. This was the first time where we had the opportunity to test our products. The direct customer contact and tasting were a very good opportunity for us to get to know our customers personally. It was also an incredible experience because we received a lot of positive feedback and sold five times more glasses of our product than we had expected. 

Another great memory was an unpaid cooperation with the magazine Essen & Trinken. One of the editors tested our wild herb spice mixture “WILDE 13” and was very enthusiastic. So he decided to feature the herbal salt in the magazine. 

But the best thing is that we’ve received the message this week that we are nominated for “Founder of the Year”, awarded by the website gruender.de.

How did the idea for Kraut und Korn come about?

The idea was born at the end of 2018 through the baptism of our son. As a passionate cook, I wanted to make a herb butter myself and also buy one. I noticed that many products contain additives and a lot of salt. Besides, the taste was not convincing at all. So I decided to buy over 100 herbs and started experimenting with different wild herbs and spices in our kitchen. The result was the first mixture “WILDE 13”, which has remained the same recipe until today. 

You rely on strong, long-term relationships with your retailers in marketing and sales. Why do they choose you? And why do you choose them? 

Our philosophy when selecting our dealers is – your favorite shop around the corner. 

This means that we work primarily with selected, owner-managed shops such as delicatessen shops and concept stores. A personal relationship is very important for us, as our products are then recommended to others just as we would like them to be. We don’t fit into the retail trade and the big chains because we don’t want to offer a mass product. In this case, the passion for our product would be lost. Our retailers appreciate the close relationship. Especially because there is only one partner per city, which means that the shop owners can act exclusively as a kind of ambassador for our products and brand. 

What are your goals for the future? What does your long-term mission look like?

In the long term, I would like to build up a small team which doesn’t mean that I need to have 30 employees and become really big quickly. Much more important for me is the personal contact and the relationship with our retailers. In 2021 I would like to be represented in one store in each of the 100 largest cities in Germany and grow further. In addition, I am already planning to cooperate with smaller manufacturers, for example for a wild herb mustard or seasoning oil. 

What is your advice to other young brands and founders?

This question is not easy to answer. I think everybody has to find his way and go step by step. In the beginning, I worked part-time on my idea. Fortunately my wife gave me the opportunity and supported me. In any case, you should always talk to others, ask for help, and exchange ideas. Then every founder will find his own way. 

Thank you very much, Hendrik – and all the best for you. 

 

A FAIRLING Success Story:

“I took the package for one year. After two months, I got listed in four new shops. Amazing Support – and fairling is still improving and developing themselves.

Although we have started just within the shutdown of the Corona crisis, we now have 7 listings after almost 4 months and constantly new contacts and inquiries. For me this is the modern way of B2B acquisition: Sustainable, flexible, online. And at a really fair price.”

Hendrik, Kraut & Korn

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