Startup receives multi-million dollar investment and launches a protein drink in Billa

AnovonA offers protein drinks under the brand mucki and mainly uses raw materials from the Austrian Alps. It is said that protein is rich in essential amino acids using medical knowledge. The drink has already established itself in Austrian supermarkets. Now the young company has Seed round million investment Collected and also plans to launch a vegan protein drink in Billa and Billa Plus supermarket chains.

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mucki wants to open up the DACH area

Three Austrian entrepreneurial families took part in the now signed Seed IIa Tour. The Harald Lassmann family, which works in the field of international logistics for food and pharmaceutical products, has joined the company. Existing investors also increased their holdings. The Biogena Group, run by Albert Schmidbauer, joined early and is now expanding its involvement in food retail.

“Products that sell extremely well on the shelves as mucki from a stand-up start are rare. Biogena Alimentastic’s international retail customers will certainly be very satisfied with our attractive and original premium protein drinks,” says Lorenz Hoffmann, Managing Director of Biogena Alimentastic. The third entrepreneurial family now investing in mucki comes from Germany. With the new capital, the startup wants to unlock the entire DACH region.

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Bella sees high customer demand

Mucki can also win new sales associates. The introduction in Rewe Süd and Rewe International was already successful in May 2022. Protein drinks produced in Salzburg quickly emerged as the most popular products. That is why the young company focuses on them in the first place. In 2022, Billa brings its first non-sweet protein drink, “mucki Protein Ayran”, to its stores in Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Styria.

According to Bella, customer demand is very high, which is why the supermarket chain now offers products in all branches throughout Austria. In addition to the well-known “whey protein shakes,” the first vegan alternative, “vegan protein chocolate,” is now debuting at Bella.

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Vegan drink to reach a new target group

Alexander Novotny, founder of mucki, wants to attract a wider target group for the new vegan drinks. “With Chocolate Protein, which was initially available exclusively from Billa, it was important for us to develop a truly enjoyable drink with the highest quality protein that makes both vegans and non-vegans completely happy in terms of taste – regardless of their dietary preferences.”