Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek Advises Shareholders of Emma – The Sleep Company on the Sale of Shares to Haniel Group

April, 2020 - Germany

With a team led by Dr. Oliver Böttcher and Kristina Schneider from its Cologne office, Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek advised the shareholders of Emma – The Sleep Company (Bettzeit GmbH) in a transaction with Haniel.

The two founders, Manuel Müller and Dr. Dennis Schmoltzi, will each retain a 24.95% stake in the company and as active Co-CEOs will continue to drive forward Emma’s international expansion and the gaining of further market shares jointly with Haniel. All further existing investors sold their shares to Haniel in the transaction. The transaction did not include a funding round, as Emma is profitable and growing from own funds.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price and other details of the contractual arrangements. The transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities.

Founded in 2013, it took Emma – The Sleep Company just six years to develop from an online platform for mattresses and sleep systems into an internationally operating sleep tech provider that is one of Europe's fastest growing companies. The popular direct-to-consumer brand Emma is available in 21 countries around the globe and in the constantly growing market for sleep-related products has already established itself as the leading bed-in-a-box provider in many European countries. This rapid growth is being realized by a team that now numbers 350 people and is characterized by product innovations, the rapid implementation of ideas, and individualized strategies for each market. Additional success factors of the company are the high concentration on technology-supported processes as well as a special focus on research and the continuous further development of the products.

Counsel to Emma – The Sleep Company (Bettzeit GmbH)
Heuking Kühn Lüer Wojtek:

Dr. Oliver Böttcher,
Kristina Schneider, LL.M.,
Laura Rilinger (all Corporate),
Markus Schmülling (Employment), all Cologne
Fabian G. Gaffron (Tax), Hamburg
Beatrice Stange, LL.M. (Antitrust), Düsseldorf

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