For more than nine months now, Sun Minimeal has adorned the chest of FC Schalke 04. After a long and highly complicated search for sponsors, the club finally reached an agreement with the Austrian start-up. Since then, Sun Minimeal has been the main sponsor of the traditional German club.

Aside from its partnership with FC Schalke 04, the Swiss company owned by married couple Maike and Wolfgang Grabher has made big headlines. They have secured a record-breaking deal.

FC Schalke 04: Sun Minimeal secures multimillion-dollar deal

Sun Minimeal stands for ready-to-eat, nutrient-rich meals for on the go that fit in any pocket. This concept was already maturing at Grabher in 2004, and last year saw their big breakthrough, including a deal with FC Schalke 04. The couple managed to get Sun Minimeal on their menu – and how!

Because now a crazy deal followed. Maike and Wolfgang Grabher secured a record deal in Austria. They presented their product and company on the TV show "Zwei Minuten, zwei Millionen" (Two Minutes, Two Million) – the equivalent of the German format "Höhle der Löwen" (Lions' Den). Their demand: four million euros for almost 6.5 percent of the company's shares! An incredibly high starting price for negotiations with the four investors. But they were impressed by the deal and jumped at the chance.

Three investors competed for the bid, and Tyrolean businessman Christian Jäger ultimately won the bid – investing four million euros in Sun Minimeal. In return, he now owns 7.5 percent of the company. With this deal, the Grabhers and Jäger set a new record. Never before had any of the investors invested so much money in a company!

Sun Minimeal impressed by “incredible emotions”

This is a real coup for the Swiss company. They hope to use it to expand their network and strengthen their public relations work – which could also benefit S04. After all, the second division team's main sponsor will also be growing. "We're incredibly excited about this and are now looking to make it happen together with all our partners. Incredible emotions – it's fantastic that we can be involved," said Wolfgang Grabher, delighted with this big deal.

The contract between S04 and Sun Minimeal runs until summer 2026. Whether the partnership will continue beyond this is still unclear. The Swiss company pays up to four million euros annually to the Gelsenkirchen-based club.