Kunst meets Florian Falk
“If you don’t think big,
it simply won’t work“
As co-founder and former CEO of Just Spices, Florian Falk has achieved multi-million turnovers within ten years. With the sale to Kraft Heinz at the beginning of 2022, the Düsseldorf-based spice mix start-up continues to grow and progress in becoming a global brand. So it came as a surprise to many people when Florian announced his exit from Just Spices at the end of 2022. VIVID editor Rainer Kunst was keen to find out what prompted his decision, how the entrepreneur is now reinventing himself and where sustainable investments come into play.
Dear Florian, what many people don‘t know: You play the violin quite well and could probably have become a professional musician. Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
That‘s right, I was quite a successful violinist in the youth symphony and chamber music orchestra. I played over 100 concerts in my youth. During a school exchange programme in England, I came into contact with business studies for the first time and really enjoyed it. I then attended the Junior Business School and wrote my first business plans during my A-levels. My hobby, the violin, was destined to remain my hobby.
How did you meet the other two Just Spices founders and how did the business idea come about back then?
I went to university directly after graduating from high school and studied business administration. That is where we met and got to know each other. We lived together in a shared flat, where the first business models and ideas were developed. And at some point we said: the spice market is old-fashioned and dull - we want to revolutionise it!
“I think an important success factor is to always get back back up and keep going. If you don‘t believe in yourself, why should others believe in you?”
That worked pretty well. Looking back, what was decisive for the success of this revolution in the spice market?
I think an important success factor is to always get back back up and keep going. If you don‘t believe in yourself, why should others believe in you? It‘s really step by step, always two steps forward, one step back. There are so many impossible situations that you have to master in a business like this. We went almost bankrupt several times, but we kept going and always found new ways.
The most important thing as an entrepreneur - especially of a start-up - is that you grow faster than your company. If the company doubles every year, your personality should develop at least as fast - and that is quite a challenge. The last ten years have seen a lot of ups and downs, which actually felt bigger. That‘s why I like to talk about mistakes. The constant new challenges that you have to master usually just make you stronger.
What were the most outstanding moments for you personally during your time with Just Spices?
There is no one moment, there are so many. It was a journey with many ups and downs. Every day we mastered new challenges as a team and continued forging ahead with our mission. For example, when we made our first million euro turnover. We smoked a cigar together as a team, which had been lying on my desk since day one and was by then completely dry. That was a touching team moment.
Did you have a specific goal in mind when you founded the company?
As a visionary, you have to think big. If you don‘t think big, things won‘t even get off the ground. Personally, I always had the vision that we would create a big international brand that would revolutionise the spice market. You know the goal, but you don‘t know the way. Today I know: my baby is in good hands and my task is fulfilled - and I am dedicating myself to a new phase of my life.
Don‘t you need something like a break now?
I have talked to many people who have had a similar experience. It is very important to me that I take some time now to process what has actually happened in the last ten years. I‘m also taking this new freedom to spend more time with my family and friends or with hobbies, something that often came up short in the last few years.
You have earned a fortune with a lot of hard work. What effect does that have on you?
That‘s a really interesting question. I think it always depends on your personality what a lot of money does to you. In the beginning it completely stressed me out, which was actually exactly the opposite of what it was supposed to do. Because I thought: If I have so much, I can also lose a lot. That‘s a situation I had to learn to deal with first, which is why it‘s so important for me to have time for myself to process things now. I am very true to myself, I am what I am. And I‘m also convinced that money can‘t make you happy, but it can give you a certain freedom. The most important thing is to stay the way you are. And then you can look back proudly on your success.
„I see myself as an
investor who is
wearing both an
investor‘s and
founder‘s hat.“
Florian Falk, Founder Just Spices and Investor
You have also been an investor for some time. What is your personal goal in investing? What role do you see yourself in?
I see myself as an investor who is wearing both an investor‘s and founder‘s hat. Over the past few years, I have learned exactly what is important for founders. For example, that they have their own vision and values that they want to share and implement. At the same time, start-ups need support - not only financially, but also in terms of know-how, for example in finance or law, as well as in personal development. That‘s why I see myself as an investor providing a construct that specifically addresses these pain points for start-ups. Like a sparring partner. And the products or technologies I invest in obviously have to be fun for me.
What role does sustainability play in your investments?
It‘s an extremely important topic, especially in the food industry, where I come from. Whether it‘s the food itself, the supply chains or the packaging - sustainability always resonates and I get more and more pitch decks around the topic on my desk. I have already made a few investments in the area because the topic is important to me, such as Vytal - Europe‘s largest digital value-added system for food delivery - and am happy to support innovative ideas that improve the world. Privately, too, I look at what I can do within my scope - and I do it. Düsseldorf is so beautiful and we want it to be beautiful for the next generation. This requires sustainable innovations in all areas. That‘s why this point is also important for investments and a matter of course for me.
In Düsseldorf, a lot is already happening in terms of sustainability and climate protection, thank God, as shown in this VIVID. Why do you think the city is so beautiful overall?
I was born in Düsseldorf. When you grow up in the city you don‘t always appreciate how beautiful it is here. This great sense of togetherness, the special spots along the Rhine, the diversity of art and culture - you take it for granted. I only saw the true beauty of Düsseldorf when I came back after living somewhere else for a while. That‘s exactly why now I can‘t imagine a more beautiful place to live. •
Interview: Rainer Kunst
Words: Tom Corrinth
Pictures Melanie Zanin