Origin
At the end of 2011, Wouter and Esther Staal started an innovative transition in which people, animals and our planet had to be the priority. Less than a year later, the first barn in Utrecht was there, Yoghurt Barn was officially launched and the transition could really begin.
Transition
Meanwhile, this transition turns out to be one that does not go unnoticed. With 13 barns in the Netherlands and one in Brussels, Wouter and Esther know how to make an impression with Yoghurt Barn. Still, they felt the ambition to make the world a more beautiful place with Yoghurt Barn, but they didn’t want to do it alone.
Plant-based
Yoghurt Barn wanted to focus more on plant-based assortment, international expansion and growth in new channels. Yoghurt Barn produces climate positive and is B corp certified. All these developments led to rebranding, YB was born. This new name does not make you forget where they came from, but opens new doors for the future.
Sharefunding
After Wouter was introduced to the concept of sharefunding, he saw opportunities. Giving employees, customers and suppliers the opportunity to become co-owners of YB was a great opportunity.
€ 900.000 in one month
And so it happened that YB opened its first sharefunding round in May 2022. The goal: €750.000. After two weeks, the full amount had been raised. Wouter states: ‘When we started our sustainable business two years ago, we noticed: on your own you can go very fast, but together you can make the difference. We have one and a half million guests per year and lots of fans. Now that we are adding retail, that will only increase’. And so, the target was adjusted to € 900.000. Once again, the enthusiasm and confidence in YB was amazing and this target was also reached. Within a month, YB managed to raise € 900.000 by 633 enthusiastic new co-owners.
Direction
As often, it doesn’t stop with this first round for YB. 'One or two rounds of five hundred thousand euros every year would be nice', says Wouter. Besides the financial advantages, sharefunding offers the possibility of building a community around the organization as part of the mission. 'Unlike previous investors, we now have a bevy of fans', Wouter smiles, 'our story is now suddenly being told at 633 birthdays.'
Thinking in terms of a movement larger than the company fits YB’s course: 'Among other things, we are working on sustainability. In scope 1 and 2 we have already managed to reduce the emissions to zero, but the big work lies in scope 3. That is where we are depending on our suppliers.'
The figures
- Number of sharefunding rounds to date: 1
- Capital raised: € 900.000
- Number of shareholders: 633
- Website: www.yoghurtbarn.nl
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