How IMAGINE helped Freda launch a Premium Frozen Pasta Line in Just 6 Months
In the fast-moving world of food innovation, launching a new product line is never easy—especially when you're aiming for premium quality, low MOQs, artisanal producers, and startup speed.
This is the story of how IMAGINE Food & Beverage helped Freda, one of Germany’s most exciting food startups, go from idea to launch in just six months—transforming a complex vision into a market-ready success.
👨🍳 Who is Freda?
Founded by Christian Mahler and Philipp Kraiss, entrepreneurs behind MyMuesli (Europe’s original DTC breakfast success), Freda is on a mission to redefine frozen food. Think: restaurant-quality, story-driven, handmade dishes—delivered frozen to your door.
After their award-winning gourmet frozen pizzas gained traction with over 20,000 online customers, Freda raised a seven-figure seed round in 2024 (led by FoodLabs, NeoTaste & others) to expand into new frozen formats.
Their next frontier?
✅ Filled pasta with gourmet sauces,
✅ Packaged separately for one-pan cooking,
✅ Artisanal yet scalable,
✅ With retail-quality packaging for D2C and beyond.
❄️ The Challenge
Freda’s brief was clear—but extremely difficult to execute:
🧩 Format complexity: Fresh-frozen filled pasta + gourmet sauce pellets is not a standard combo.
📦 Premium packaging: Most Italian producers serve Ho.Re.Ca., not consumer retail.
⚙️ Small MOQs: Needed to test multiple SKUs with minimal risk.
🌍 Cultural gap: Italian producers not used to startup timelines or English workflows.
🏭 Few one-stop-shops: Very few manufacturers do both pasta and sauces in frozen form.
What Freda needed was not just a supplier—but a strategic partner who could scout, filter, connect, and coordinate.
🤝 Enter IMAGINE Food & Beverage
Freda partnered with IMAGINE, that combines a deep industry expertise, an extensive supplier network, and a founder-to-founder mindset that resonates with startups.
Over a 12-month collaboration, IMAGINE supported Freda across multiple product lines (oils, gelato, pasta), but the pasta project became the most ambitious—and successful—launch.
🔍 What IMAGINE Did
1. Scouting & Filtering
From a network of over 70 vetted Italian frozen pasta producers, IMAGINE filtered based on:
Frozen capacity
Packaging flexibility
MOQ adaptability
Product uniqueness
Brand alignment potential
Result? A short-list of 18 high-potential candidates.
2. Outreach & Sample Coordination
IMAGINE managed all communication in Italian, set up sample testing, requested quotes, and ensured the producers understood Freda’s unique brief.
3. Mediation & Negotiation
IMAGINE team joined calls, translated needs, and helped both sides align—on pricing, process, and packaging.
4. Final Selection & Project Launch
Two finalists emerged. One was selected based on product quality and narrative fit. It was a small regional pasta lab, used to local Ho.Re.Ca.—now entering international D2C retail for the first time.
🎯 The Results
✅ Go-to-market in under 6 months
✅ Premium stuffed pasta line live on eatfreda.com
✅ Retail-ready packaging and logistics
✅ New supplier internationally active for the first time
✅ Potential GDO rollout in Germany and Austria underway
“IMAGINE helped us screen the Italian market for premium suppliers, organized sample testing, and made the whole process seamless. Their network and understanding of our brand’s needs dramatically accelerated our time-to-market. I’d give them a 10/10—highly recommended.”
💡 Why IMAGINE?
✅ In-depth knowledge of Italy’s artisanal food ecosystem
✅ Proprietary scouting methods & bilingual coordination
✅ Entrepreneurial approach that matches startup culture
✅ 360° support from concept to launch
✅ Human touch: understanding brand values, not just specs
In a sector where product development is often slow, complex, and full of compromises, IMAGINE made it fast, frictionless, and founder-friendly.
Startup energy + local expertise = faster launches, better partnerships, stronger results.
👋 Want to learn more about how IMAGINE can support your food innovation journey?
Imagine Food & Beverage helps brands develop custom products that combine Italian craftsmanship with global trends. From sourcing and supplier matchmaking to branding, packaging, and positioning — we offer a full suite of product development services tailored to your vision.
👉 Get in touch today to explore how we can help you turn Italian tradition into your next standout product
