Kooray spice ‘n easy: Portrait of the winner of the first BIOFACH Start-up Award

In an interview, Kevin Hornik, founder and CEO of the start-up Kooray spice 'n easy, talks about the development of his food start-up, his experiences at the BIOFACH start-up pitches and his tips for other young companies.

For the first time, BIOFACH 2025 hosted the BIOFACH Start-up Pitches – a new format that provides a platform for innovative young companies in the organic sector. The participating Start-ups were put to an online vote by the BIOFACH community before the trade fair began. The three winners of the vote were given the opportunity not only to present themselves to the international trade audience in the halls at the trade fair, but also to pitch to a high-calibre jury. The jury included Selda Morina (Innovation Manager at REWE Süd and Head of the associated Start-up Lounge), Frank Künzel (Head of Category Management Dry Goods/Beverages at dennree) and Alexander Stabel (Head of Purchasing for Dry Goods and Drugstore Products at Alnatura). They selected the winner of the BIOFACH Start-up Award – which includes attractive listings at dennree and Alnatura as well as targeted food retail coaching with the option of placement in selected REWE Süd stores.

Kooray spice 'n easy – you guys are all about curry sauces. What makes your products special?

Our products combine authenticity, quality and simplicity. Thanks to our patented manufacturing process, we can capture the flavours of a freshly cooked curry sauce in a 100% plant-based organic instant powder – without any artificial additives. Just add water and in three minutes you have a restaurant-quality sauce that will delight vegans and meat-eaters alike. Versatile as a sauce, marinade or seasoning powder, our products offer a solution for hectic everyday life without compromising on taste.

How did the idea for the different Thai curry sauces come about?

Curries have been an integral part of my childhood, my career and my life for over 20 years. I practically grew up in my family's Thai restaurants, worked closely with experienced Thai chefs and actively helped manage the businesses for several years. This taught me early on what makes authentic cuisine: the balance of flavours, the quality of the ingredients and the attention to detail in the preparation. With Kooray spice 'n easy, we want to bring this experience into everyday life. Until now, there have been no comparable organic products that are so quick and easy to prepare and at the same time taste authentic and are of such high quality. Our instant Thai curry sauces fill this gap, allowing anyone to prepare authentic restaurant-quality food in just a few minutes.

What role do organic certifications and the selection of raw materials play for Kooray spice 'n easy?

For us, organic is not just a label, but a central promise of quality. We use only premium-quality, purely plant-based organic ingredients sourced from carefully selected partners. We place particular emphasis on transparency and sustainability throughout the entire supply chain. Production takes place in Germany, which allows us to ensure short transport routes, energy-efficient processes and the highest production standards.

Kooray spice ‘n easy won the very first BIOFACH Start-up Award this year. How did you perceive the BIOFACH Start-up Pitches?

Participating in the BIOFACH Start-up Pitches was a great experience and a huge stage for us as a young company. BIOFACH is the industry's meeting place – and with our idea of redefining the convenience market with healthy and authentic instant products, we have clearly struck a chord. Winning the very first BIOFACH Start-up Award was a huge validation for us and has given us enormous momentum both nationally and internationally, opening new doors.

At the time of BIOFACH 2025, Kooray spice 'n easy had only been on the market for five months – how has the company developed since then?

Since then, an incredible amount has happened: we have been able to continuously expand our retail presence – most recently through inclusion in retailers such as Tegut, Rossmann and Alnatura – and the catering industry is also showing strong interest in our products. At the same time, we have scaled up our production processes and more than doubled them. Today, with Kooray spice 'n easy, we not only reach customers in over 1,000 retail markets throughout Germany but are also seeing growing demand internationally.

Are you planning to expand the Kooray spice 'n easy range or develop new product lines?

Yes, definitely. Our vision is to make authentic curries from around the world accessible to everyone in a simple, healthy and sustainable format. In addition to our existing Thai curry sauces, we are already working on new flavours and complementary product lines that carry on our ‘spicy 'n easy’ principle. A snack range – for example, with ‘Spicy Kooray Popcorn’ – as well as high-quality and healthy instant noodle cups are already in the planning stages.

Since your company was founded, your presence in retail has grown steadily – most recently with your inclusion in the Tegut product range. What advice would you give to young startups looking to establish themselves in the organic food sector?

My most important advice: remain persistent, leave your comfort zone and be authentic. The organic market is demanding, but with a little patience, it rewards genuine innovation and clear values. You should know your target group inside out, communicate transparently and not let setbacks discourage you. Networking, accepting feedback and being brave enough to try new things – that helped us enormously. Take every opportunity to present your ideas and products at pitches or on big stages, because you never know who is listening and what might come of such an opportunity.

See you at BIOFACH 2026?

Absolutely! BIOFACH is one of the most important industry gatherings for us and, with its special atmosphere and audience, it is also one of our favourite trade fairs. We are looking forward to meeting colleagues and partners there again and inspiring them with new ideas and products. Kooray spice 'n easy, it's about time!