Nutriathletic: Continuation despite bankruptcy

The reports in the mainstream media didn't really reveal much. That's not what the mainstream media are about. They want sensational headlines to grab readers' attention and get them to read the article; the articles themselves don't offer much depth of information or detail. But they certainly achieve one thing: the attention of countless readers, including myself.

Nutriathletic was unknown to me until now
I must confess, the brand “Nutriathletic” was unknown to me until now, even though I have been dealing with sports nutrition and dietary supplements for athletes for years. For example, years ago I wrote a major article on the topic of “vegan protein”. Since the website's inception in 2013, we have reported on products from the Swiss company Winforce, bio-familia AG, and Burgerstein, and we continue to this day to engage in discussions with manufacturers such as Sponser, Joe Weider, and many other national and international food producers in the sports sector. The fact that I myself was unfamiliar with the brand highlights a primary shortcoming: its lack of brand awareness. Given the countless brands and products in this segment, this is hardly surprising if one cannot invest millions in advertising.

The powder supplier is said to be responsible for the bankruptcy
Nutriathletic founder and former CEO Piero Fontana blames the powder supplier (protein, carbohydrate) for the company's bankruptcy. A conflict reportedly arose in 2022 when the supplier failed to meet delivery deadlines or quality standards. And apparently, this supplier successfully sued in court, while Nutriathletic did not. Piero Fontana categorically refused to name the supplier during our conversation, but it is said to be a Swiss company.

Should the actions of the former contractual partner have indeed been negligent, management should have acted in accordance with its duty to mitigate damages for the shareholders and taken legal action against the supplier, at the very least filing a claim for damages and demanding a reduction in the invoice. Whether this happened, I don't know, but one cannot simply shift the blame for one's own bankruptcy onto someone else. It is even conceivable that this supplier acted maliciously and intended to harm the company with its errors, aiming to eliminate a competitor for itself or another customer, but these are idle speculations. Ultimately, the management of Nutriathletic AG evidently failed to recognize or properly assess the risk or danger posed by this partnership and, in the event of a conflict, neglected to react appropriately and adequately protect its own company. Therefore, mistakes must have been made on the part of Nutriathletic's management, whether in risk management or capital protection.

A lot of money burned – is the existing capital enough?
The company started in 2013 with a substantial capital of 1.9 million Swiss francs. Between 2015 and 2021, several capital increases were carried out, bringing another 1.9 million Swiss francs into the company's coffers. Three more capital increases were reportedly carried out in 2024 and 2025. In total, the company was thus able to operate with a substantial share capital of around 4-5 million Swiss francs. Now all this money is lost. Dr. Fontana Lab GmbH, which took over the Nutriathletic brand, with a share capital of CHF 20,000, is now supposed to succeed where the predecessor company failed. It takes a healthy dose of optimism to believe this is possible. The Nutriathletic brand has been saved in this way, which is a clear success. Since the new company was already one of the main shareholders of the bankrupt firm and responsible for significant parts of production, it knows the business inside and out. The five employees were able to be retained, and the production partners, suppliers, and customers were also retained. However, in reality, many hurdles remain. It is highly questionable whether this can be achieved with the existing business. And there is absolutely no room for error or miscalculations; otherwise, the company now continuing Nutriathletic also faces the threat of bankruptcy.

Basic marketing tasks must be fulfilled
So far, the company has not succeeded in building the brand into a major national or international brand that is known to the entire population and has a positive impact even on non-customers. Furthermore, there is a lack of strong brand positioning. What does Nutriathletic actually stand for? Piero Fontana states that they come from a scientific background and are well-received by doctors and pharmacies, which is why they want to deepen their cooperation with clubs, doctors, and pharmacies. Customers and non-customers alike need to know why a customer chooses Nutriathletic. I believe the company is unaware of the importance of these marketing facts and the existence of fundamental shortcomings in its marketing. Given the strong competition and numerous national and international competitors, the company must now quickly address this issue if it wants to be successful in the long term. Fresh capital will be necessary for this.

Given these difficult circumstances, saving the brand is a great success and the positive outlook is commendable, but I am very concerned about Nutriathletic's future. Much has been achieved, but the bankruptcy has caused significant reputational damage. And the existing shortcomings within the company must be addressed. It is conceivable that, despite all efforts, Nutriathletic will disappear from the market in the future or be taken over by new investors and entrepreneurs who will shape its future in a new and different way. I wish Piero Fontana and his team the best of luck and success, but I also urge caution in light of the challenges and risks that still await the company and the brand.