afreshed Group Acquires Motatos DACH Business

The Austrian afreshed Group has strategically absorbed the German and Austrian operations of the Swedish food-saving platform Motatos, marking a significant expansion for the European food waste reduction initiative. This move sees the establishment of a new online shop, Retterbox, which will now serve customers in both Germany and Austria. The agreement, described as a transitional cooperation, effectively transfers market knowledge and customer communication channels from Motatos to the newly formed Retterbox entity under the afreshed Group umbrella.

While specific financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed, afreshed Group CEO Bernhard Bocksrucker highlighted that Motatos faced logistical challenges, particularly with its packaging contracts. "We are now taking over the business with new packaging and a new delivery system," Bocksrucker stated. He pointed to the immediate market reception, noting that retterbox.com recorded approximately 1,000 orders daily shortly after its launch, underscoring the robust demand for rescued food products.

Motatos, part of the Matsmart-Motatos-Gruppe, had previously announced its withdrawal from the German and Austrian markets earlier this year. The company cited a strategic decision to concentrate resources on its core Nordic markets, where it reported substantial revenue and order volumes in 2025. Despite serving nearly 300,000 active customers in the DACH region and achieving over €35 million in annual revenue, the path to profitability in these markets was deemed to require significant further investment. The transition ensures continuity for consumers, with the former motatos.de and motatos.at domains now redirecting to retterbox.com.

A key element of this integration is the transfer of three experienced executives from the former Motatos DACH leadership team: Ben Hulme (Managing Director), Ina Schahin (Commercial Director), and Jens Pöhnisch (Buying Director). These individuals bring a wealth of experience from previous roles at major retail and e-commerce companies, including Lidl, Aldi, Delivery Hero, Zalando, Groupon, and memmo. Their expertise will be crucial in re-engaging suppliers and managing the commercial aspects of the business. Hulme emphasized a deliberate, phased growth strategy: "We are consciously starting small and will only grow once the processes are robust."

The initial product offering at Retterbox features around 500 dry goods across eight categories, including pantry staples, snacks, sauces, and spices. These items are sourced due to overproduction, delisting, packaging changes, seasonal overstock, or approaching best-before dates. Each product listing clearly states the reason for its rescue and its minimum shelf life. The afreshed Group, founded in 2021 and which also acquired German competitor etepetete and secured investment from Raiffeisen-Holding Niederösterreich-Wien, aims to expand its rescued product range beyond its established focus on organic fruits and vegetables.

This acquisition represents a strategic consolidation within the food waste reduction sector. The market for rescued food is experiencing significant growth, driven by increasing consumer awareness of sustainability and a desire for value. The afreshed Group's expansion into the DACH dry goods market, leveraging Motatos' established customer base and operational insights, positions it for continued development. The company's ambition is to eventually offer a full range of rescued food products, addressing a larger portion of daily consumer needs.