Who Owns Factor Meals?

HelloFresh SE, a German food solutions company headquartered in Berlin, owns Factor Meals. The meal delivery company completed the acquisition in November 2020 for up to $277 million in cash.

Factor Meals operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within HelloFresh’s brand portfolio alongside EveryPlate and Green Chef. The ready-to-eat meal service delivers chef-prepared, dietitian-designed meals requiring approximately two minutes of preparation time. Factor expanded internationally in 2023, launching operations in Ontario, Canada, followed by the Netherlands and Belgium.

HelloFresh SE trades publicly on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The parent company has faced market challenges in recent years, with its stock price declining significantly from pandemic-era highs. In March 2025, HelloFresh announced the closure of its distribution center in Grand Prairie, Texas, as part of ongoing cost-reduction measures.

Who Owns Factor Meals?

HelloFresh SE maintains complete ownership of Factor Meals following the 2020 acquisition. The German publicly traded company paid $177 million at closing with an additional $100 million structured as performance-based earn-outs and management incentives.

Parent Company Structure

Factor operates within HelloFresh’s corporate framework without separate shareholders. All strategic decisions and financial planning flow through HelloFresh’s management structure in Berlin. The acquisition transformed Factor from an independent Illinois-based startup into a key component of a global food solutions enterprise.

Public Market Trading

Investors seeking exposure to Factor Meals must purchase HelloFresh SE shares on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Factor does not trade independently. This arrangement mirrors similar ownership structures where subsidiaries operate under parent company control without separate public listings.

History of Factor Meals Co-founders

Nick Wernimont: Founder and Visionary

Nick Wernimont founded Factor in 2013 in Batavia, Illinois. His background as a mixed martial arts fighter with a 16-0 record shaped his understanding of nutrition’s role in athletic performance. Wernimont recognized that 75 percent of fitness results derive from diet, which became the company’s founding philosophy and inspired its original name, Factor 75.

Wernimont holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from the University of Iowa.

Mike Apostal: Scaling the Business

Mike Apostal joined Factor in 2015 as CFO and COO before ascending to CEO. His private equity background proved instrumental in scaling operations. Under Apostal’s leadership, Factor expanded from the Greater Chicago area to both coasts by 2018.

Apostal guided Factor through the HelloFresh acquisition process. The founding team secured $500,000 in funding from investors including Flow Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Darwin Strategic Limited before the acquisition provided resources for accelerated growth.

Who Is on the Board of Directors for Factor Meals?

Factor Meals does not maintain a separate board of directors. Governance flows through HelloFresh SE’s management and supervisory board structures in Germany.

HelloFresh Management Board

Dominik S. Richter serves as Group Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of HelloFresh SE. He provides strategic oversight for all HelloFresh brands including Factor. Richter co-founded HelloFresh in Berlin in November 2011 and has guided its transformation into a global food solutions enterprise.

Fabien Simon joined as Global Chief Financial Officer in September 2025. Simon previously served as CEO of JDE Peet’s, the world’s largest pure-play coffee and tea company. His financial acumen strengthens HelloFresh’s position in competitive markets.

Supervisory Board Oversight

John H. Rittenhouse chairs the HelloFresh SE Supervisory Board. He has served as a board member since November 2015. The Supervisory Board expanded from five to six members in 2025 to strengthen corporate governance.

Technology and Marketing Expertise

Arjan Dijk brings marketing leadership experience from his tenure as Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com and over a decade as Vice President of Global Marketing at Google. His consumer insights inform Factor’s market positioning strategies.

Financial and Operations Expertise

Oliver Tant contributes extensive auditing and consulting experience from his career at KPMG. Melissa Kirmayer Eamer adds operational expertise developed through leadership positions at Amazon between 2000 and 2019, most recently as Vice President of Amazon Devices.

Florian Schuhbauer represents major shareholder AOC on the Supervisory Board. His background in investment management adds valuable perspective to Factor’s strategic direction within the HelloFresh portfolio.

Largest Shareholders of Factor Meals

Factor Meals has no separate shareholders. Ownership interests exist through HelloFresh SE shareholders who hold positions in the publicly traded parent company.

HelloFresh Institutional Investors

Major institutional investors hold significant positions in HelloFresh SE stock. These holdings provide indirect ownership stakes in Factor Meals. The company trades on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, allowing public access to shares.

AOC Strategic Position

AOC holds a significant stake in HelloFresh SE. The investment firm’s representation on the Supervisory Board through Florian Schuhbauer demonstrates active engagement in corporate governance. This structure resembles arrangements seen in other major food companies where institutional investors maintain strategic influence.

Original Factor Investors

Flow Capital, Valor Equity Partners, and Darwin Strategic Limited provided early-stage funding to Factor before the HelloFresh acquisition. These investors received returns through the $277 million transaction. The deal included $177 million paid at closing plus performance-based earn-outs reaching up to $100 million.

Morgan Stanley Investment Management

Morgan Stanley Investment Management maintains an institutional position in HelloFresh SE. The investment management firm’s holdings reflect interest in HelloFresh’s business model across multiple meal delivery segments. Similar institutional investment patterns appear across the food industry, including companies like Nestlé and other global food enterprises.

FAQs

Who currently owns Factor Meals?

HelloFresh SE, a German publicly traded company headquartered in Berlin, owns Factor Meals through a complete acquisition finalized in November 2020 for $277 million.

Is Factor Meals publicly traded?

Factor Meals does not trade publicly as a separate entity. Investors gain exposure through HelloFresh SE stock on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

Who founded Factor Meals?

Nick Wernimont founded Factor in 2013 in Batavia, Illinois. Mike Apostal joined as CEO in 2015 and guided the company through its HelloFresh acquisition.

How much did HelloFresh pay for Factor?

HelloFresh paid up to $277 million for Factor, including $177 million at closing and up to $100 million in performance-based earn-outs.

Does Factor operate independently from HelloFresh?

Factor maintains its brand identity while operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary. It leverages HelloFresh’s infrastructure while preserving product differentiation.