From Zero to Acquisition: Tessa van Meerten's Foodprepper Story

Dr. Niklas Richter · 2026-06-25

Tessa van Meerten started Foodprepper in April 2020, right after her employer went bankrupt due to the pandemic. With zero startup capital, she launched a meal box service for busy families who wanted healthy dinners without the hassle. Today, Foodprepper delivers across all of Flanders and Brussels, and as of 2024, it's part of Smartmat, the company behind Foodbag. In this episode, Tessa opens up about turning a vague dream into a concrete business. She did everything herself at first, never putting a price on her own time. Eventually, she realized that growing without outside funding just wasn't possible. She shares how she found her first investor, how that journey led to the Smartmat acquisition, and what she had to let go of along the way. ### From Dream to Reality Tessa didn't start with a polished plan. She had a passion for healthy, home-cooked meals and saw a gap in the market for families too busy to cook from scratch. She began by testing recipes in her own kitchen, packing boxes herself, and delivering them in her car. It was scrappy, but it worked. "I never valued my own time in the beginning," she says. "I was so focused on making it work that I forgot to count my own hours." ### The Hard Truth About Growth For a while, bootstrapping felt sustainable. But as orders grew, Tessa hit a wall. She couldn't keep up with production, logistics, or hiring without capital. That's when she decided to seek outside investment. - Identified potential investors who believed in her mission - Pitched her vision for scaling healthy meal delivery - Negotiated terms that allowed her to keep control of the brand - Eventually accepted an offer from Smartmat in 2024 ### Letting Go to Level Up Being acquired meant giving up some day-to-day control. Tessa had to learn to trust her team and rely on data instead of just gut feelings. She admits there were summer slumps and moments of doubt. But she grew from a junior employee mindset into a confident entrepreneur. "Now I work on the business, not just in it," she explains. "That shift changed everything." ### Lessons for Every Dreamer If Tessa had to start over, she'd do a few things differently. She'd invest in systems earlier, hire help before she felt ready, and trust the numbers as much as her intuition. But she wouldn't change the passion that got her started. This conversation is for anyone who has ever wondered if an idea without money deserves a chance. Tessa proves that with grit, adaptability, and a willingness to learn, it absolutely does. ### Special Offer Ready to try Foodprepper? Use code ONDERNEMER45 at checkout to get $15 off your first three orders. Visit [Foodprepper](https://foodprepper.be/) (nofollow) to claim your discount. ### More Episodes Find more inspiring entrepreneur stories at [Belgische Ondernemers](https://www.belgische-ondernemers.be/) (nofollow). Subscribe and leave a 5-star review if you find these conversations valuable. Thanks to our partners: [Teamleader](https://www.Teamleader.be/) (nofollow) and [Cloudpoint](https://www.Cloudpoint.be/) (nofollow) - the IT partner for every SME.