The 17-Year-Old Who Built a $100M Healthy Food Empire

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-09-29

### From a Single Salad Bar to 120,000 Meals a Day Long before healthy eating became a trend, Lieven Vanlommel saw a massive opportunity. At just 17, he opened his first salad bar in Antwerp, Belgium. Today, he leads Foodmaker, a company that produces 120,000 ultra-fresh meals daily and reaches people through supermarkets, Foodmaker Cafés, and other partners. His mission has never changed: make healthy food tasty, easy, and affordable. In a recent podcast episode of *Ondernemerspraat*, Lieven shared how he scaled Foodmaker from a local concept to an international player. How do you make healthy food scalable without sacrificing quality? Why does Foodmaker choose to keep as much as possible in-house? And how does Lieven view the future of food? We dive into growth, sharp entrepreneurial choices, and his big ambition: to make Foodmaker the 'green McDonald's'. ### The Scalability Challenge: Quality vs. Quantity Scaling any food business is tough. Scaling one that promises ultra-fresh, healthy meals? Even tougher. Lieven explains that the key is vertical integration. By controlling everything from sourcing to production to distribution, Foodmaker ensures quality at every step. They don't cut corners—they build them. - **Sourcing:** Direct partnerships with farmers and suppliers for fresh, seasonal ingredients. - **Production:** High-tech facilities that handle 120,000 meals daily without compromising freshness. - **Distribution:** A fleet of refrigerated trucks and partnerships with major supermarkets. This level of control isn't cheap. But Lieven argues it's the only way to maintain trust with customers. "If you want to be the green McDonald's," he says, "you can't just talk about health—you have to live it." ### Why Keeping It In-House Pays Off Many food startups outsource production to cut costs. Foodmaker does the opposite. They own their kitchens, their logistics, and even their cafés. Why? Because Lieven believes that to disrupt an industry, you need to control the entire experience. > "We're not just selling meals. We're selling a promise. And you can't keep a promise if you don't control how it's made." This strategy has allowed Foodmaker to expand rapidly while maintaining a loyal customer base. It's also attracted investors who see the long-term value in a vertically integrated food company. ### The Future of Food: What's Next for Foodmaker? Lieven's ambition doesn't stop at salads. He envisions a future where healthy food is as accessible as fast food. That means more Foodmaker Cafés, more supermarket partnerships, and maybe even international expansion. But he's cautious about growth. "We don't want to be everywhere," he says. "We want to be where we can make a difference." He's also keeping an eye on food tech. From plant-based proteins to AI-driven supply chains, Lieven sees technology as a tool to make healthy eating even more efficient and affordable. ### Lessons for Entrepreneurs Lieven's journey offers valuable lessons for any entrepreneur, especially those in the food industry: - **Start young, think big.** Age is just a number when you have a clear vision. - **Control your quality.** Don't outsource your core value. - **Stay mission-driven.** Profits follow purpose. - **Scale smart.** Growth is good, but only if you can sustain it. Whether you're in Belgium or the United States, these principles apply. The market for healthy, convenient food is growing everywhere. And as Lieven proves, you don't need to be a giant corporation to make a giant impact. *This podcast is an initiative of Creatic. They help SMEs and entrepreneurs put their brand on the digital map with strong branding, thoughtful marketing, and high-performing websites. From brand strategy and visual identity to a website that delivers results: they ensure your business grows visibly and recognizably online. Curious what they can do for your business? Discover more at www.creatic.com.*