The 34-Year-Old Jan Budde Supplies Diet and Vitamin Products and Expands His Chain of Stores
The idea came to him as a student.
Hamburg. Jan Budde is a resourceful businessman. Even as a schoolboy, he founded a small company and turned his hobbies, sports, and fitness into a side job. Budde purchased nutritional supplements and resold them. In 1994, while still a university student, he launched his first brand, Body Attack. His studies in fisheries management, chemistry, and biology supported his ambitions. “As an enthusiastic angler, I originally wanted to breed and sell fish,” says the 34-year-old. Instead, he began developing formulations for specialized nutritional products. “All the recipes are my own,” he adds.
Today, Body Attack Sports Nutrition is a nationally recognized manufacturer and distributor of nutritional supplements, diet products, and vitamins. Budde and his team supply their goods to HSV’s football professionals and the ice hockey stars of the Freezers. In collaboration with HSV, the sports experts have recently introduced a dedicated product line to be sold in supermarkets. “This makes us the first company in Germany’s sports nutrition industry to become the official nutritional partner of a Bundesliga football club,” says Budde.
In addition, Edeka markets in Northern Germany have been stocking Body Attack products for several months. The company’s brands are also available in fitness studios, sports clubs, pharmacies, wholesalers, and various stores. Offering 1,800 different products, Body Attack operates 30 stores across Germany and Austria.
The next step in the company’s expansion is to grow the store chain through a franchise system, with branches planned in Greece, Spain, and Switzerland.
Thanks to this expansion, Body Attack increased its revenue by over 30% in 2008. This year, CEO Budde aims for a similar growth rate. In Germany, only six percent of the population consumes fitness drinks, powders, or pills. In the U.S., the figure is 80%, and in France, 30% of the population already uses such products. “There’s still a lot of potential,” Budde remarks with a smile.
With the company’s growth, the number of employees is also increasing. Currently, 30 men and women work at the Hamburg headquarters, alongside colleagues in retail stores. Approximately every two months, two new employees are hired. “We’re always looking for good people,” says Budde, who even employs a chef for his staff. “Morale is key to good performance.”
Body Attack has been profitable since its inception. “I’ve never taken out a loan,” Budde notes. “We’ve always financed our growth from our profits.” Additionally, Budde runs the Buddy’s bar in St. Pauli, a mobile phone shop in Eppendorf, and the clothing brand Elbmeister. “These ventures provide a solid income, allowing me to reinvest the rest.”
Only one issue troubles Budde amidst his success: “The nutritional supplements industry still has a shady reputation,” he says. “Yet more and more top athletes, as well as amateur athletes, use these products. Even pharmacies sell them.”
To ensure trust, Budde certifies his powders, drinks, and bars using the Cologne List. This registry includes nutritional supplements with minimized doping risks. Compiled by the Olympic Training Center Rhineland, the list helps protect athletes from unjustified doping allegations. By being listed, manufacturers can make their product ingredients more transparent. Budde says: “This allows us to prove that our products have nothing to do with doping or other shady practices.”
September 29, 2009, 06:00 AM | Reading Time: 4 Minutes | By Sophie Laufer