Berlin, September 2023 – YPOG advised ECO Group, a group of companies focused on sustainable consumer goods brands, on its participation in the natural cosmetics brand BEN&ANNA from JM Nature GmbH. The investment was preceded by a €7.5 million Series A financing round, which was also advised by YPOG. The financing round was led by European growth investor Acton Capital; existing investor Fair Capital Partners also joined the round.
With this strategic step, ECO Group will expand its sustainable consumer goods capabilities and strengthen its market presence. As part of the transaction, ECO Group will also become a shareholder in Global Eco Pack GmbH, a manufacturer of packaging materials specialising in the use of paper instead of plastic.
Founded in 2022 by Christoph Schwerdtle and Thomas Nehfischer in Bad Homburg, the start-up bundles sustainable brands such as Hydrophil, Naiked, Kuno and Herbalind under one roof. The ECO Group pursues the goal of enabling a healthy and environmentally conscious life through sustainable consumer goods. The group's growth is based on the continuous development of product innovations and the acquisition of sustainable companies in relevant categories of the consumer goods industry.
The investment in BEN&ANNA marks a strategic, important step in the joint mission to promote sustainable lifestyles. BEN&ANNA was founded in 2017 by Marco Hülsbeck and stands for high-quality and vegan natural cosmetics. The sustainable natural products consist of one hundred percent natural ingredients, if possible even from organic cultivation.
This move underlines the shared commitment to reducing plastic waste while providing innovative solutions for more environmentally friendly packaging.
Team Series A
Dr. Martin Schaper (Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Pia Meven (Transactions), Senior Associate, Berlin
Rosa Wizisla (Transactions), Associate, Berlin,
Team Übernahme of BEN&ANNA
Dr. Stefan Witte (Lead, Transactions), Associated Partner, Hamburg
Dr. Martin Schaper (Co-Lead, Transactions), Partner, Berlin
Johannes Schmidt (Transactions), Associate, Hamburg
Boris Schinzel (Transactions), Associate, Berlin
Dr. Malte Bergmann (Tax), Partner, Hamburg
Ann-Kristin Lochmann (Tax), Associated Partner, Hamburg
Dr. Benedikt Flöter (IP/IT), Associated Partner, Berlin
Dr. Christoph Cordes (IP/IT), Associate, Berlin
About ECO Group
ECO Group is a young, dynamic and innovative group of sustainable consumer goods brands whose products enable healthy and environmentally conscious living. The Group's growth is based on the continuous development of product innovation and the acquisition of sustainable companies in relevant categories of the consumer goods industry. The company's customers include drugstores, grocery retailers, organic food retailers and various online retail partners. In addition, the portfolio brands have their own online shops. https://www.group.eco
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Contact:
Benno Engelmann
T +49 172 2749 689 | E presse@ypog.law
Engelmann Advisory
engelmann-advisory.com
About us
YPOG is a law firm specialized in tax and business law, active in the core fields of Funds, Tax, Banking + Finance, and Transactions. The team at YPOG represents a broad client base, which ranges from emerging technology companies and family-run SMEs to large corporations, as well as private equity, and venture capital funds. YPOG is one of the leading advisors for venture capital, private equity, and fund structuring in Germany. The firm and its partners have been recognized nationally and internationally by JUVE, Best Lawyers, Legal 500, Focus, Chambers and Partners as well as Leaders League. Today, YPOG has more than 120 experienced lawyers and tax specialists and a notary, in three offices, located in Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne.
