The Bonn companies Chefkoch.de and true fruits are now known throughout Germany. But other start-ups in the region are fighting for customers in the grocery branch.

Ale-Mania: Fritz Wülfing started brewing his own craft beer in 2014. A hobby became a vocation and then a job from which today he earns a living. Wülfing now brews eight different varieties in his factory site in Bonn-Pützchen that are enjoyed by beer drinkers on both sides of the Rhine.

Cookit: Brothers Tim and Fabian Engelbrecht and their team visit the weekly markets in Bonn, Cologne and Siegburg where they sell cook-sets from a blue van. For four years, Cookit customers have been able to choose a recipe and then receive a bag containing the ingredients for chosen meal.

Frozen Devil: Dunia El-Said’s idea? Sorbet-ice cream for adults. Since the start of this year she has been mixing high quality alcohol with fruit flavoured ice cream to make her three flavours: Mango-Gin, Strawberry-Rum and Blueberry-Vodka. She produces them all herself in Bad Godesberg.

Georgia Ramon: After leaving Confiserie Coppeneur, a business he jointly founded, Georg Bernardini is now producing his own chocolate in Oberkassel. The confectioner and his partner Ramona Gustmann have specialised since 2015 in very unusual flavours such as beetroot coconut or broccoli with salted almonds. He is now also selling his chocolate bars in the USA.

Jacky F: Rissoles made from jackfruit. Julia Huthmann discovered this meat-free option in Sri Lanka. The exotic fruit appealed to her and she has recently started importing and distributing the canned Fair Trade product to Germany.

Lieblingsburger: Edgar Schulz and Andre Kirfel from Königswinter started their own company this year. The two handball players from the Siebengebirge club sell burgers at events. The unusual part: their customers can have their favourite burgers put together for them.

Lapin Blanc Absinthe: Funs Kurstjens and Daniel Werle are behind the absinthe project. Werle has for years distributed various varieties under the name Dr Seltsam’s Absinth-Kontor. The well-known herbal spirit is produced today in Switzerland and then bottled in Meckenheim where it can also be bought.

Meine Ernte: The start-up Meine Ernte is perfect for anyone who does not have a garden but who wants to grow vegetables. Any amateur gardener can, for a fee, rent for an allotment for a fixed period through this internet platform from Bonn. They started small, but managing directors Wanda Ganders and Natalie Kirchbaumer now rent out gardens all over Germany.

Rheintüten: David Rein and his business partner Julian Körver, both from Rhöndorf, have been importing spices since 2013. Their range, which they sell in small bags at various markets, consists of around 40 different types of salt, pepper, sugar, chillis and spices from all over the world.

Siegfried-Rheinland Dry Gin: Named after the heroes of the Nibelung legends, Raphael Vollmar and Gerald Koenen from Bonn have been producing a Rhineland version of the famous London Dry Gin for many years in their own distillery in the Eifel. Of particular interest is the use of lime leaves as one of the 18 ingredients.

Wertewandel: The idea of Bonn start-up Wertewandel is to live a more sustainable life with the help of an app. Using the app developed by Sebastian Schulz and Milan Wolfs a smartphone scans the till receipt after a purchase and automatically recognises the eco products bought. The purchase is then converted into bonus points which the user can either exchange for shopping vouchers or can donate to a good cause. The app is currently in its test phase but should be up and running in 2017 in various partner supermarkets.

Yammie’s wunderbare Waffel Welt: Gertrude Mevissen from Bonn has started a company specialising in custom-made waffle irons and the rental of various baking systems as well as the sale of ready-made waffle batter and baking accessories. (Original text: Fabian Vögtle. Translated by Kate Carey.)