My personal Journey with råbowls: Growth, Struggles, and Friendship

Verfasst von Till Constantin Lagemann
råbowls store groningen hamburg bowls startup

forced to adapt

I was born in Hamburg but raised between the Netherlands and Brazil, growing up at the crossroads of cultures, languages, and perspectives. My Uruguayan father and German mother instilled in me a deep sense of adaptability and curiosity, traits that would shape my entrepreneurial journey. From an early age, I knew I wanted to create, to innovate, and to leave an impact far greater than myself. But it wasn't until I moved to Groningen for my Master’s in Marketing that this drive fully crystallized into action.

During a marketing internship at HelloFresh, I had a big realization: the traditional career path was not for me. The idea of a life spent in rigid structures, lacking creativity and autonomy, felt suffocating. I needed to build something of my own—something that aligned with my values of health, sustainability, and modern urban living.

The Birth of Rå groningen: A Vision Turned Reality

I was lucky to have zoë. she and her family helped us build and run the store.

Scandinavia’s commitment to organic, health-conscious food inspired me to create a premium, modern, plant-based fast-casual brand. The name “Rå” was a natural choice, symbolizing raw, wholesome ingredients and rooted in an ancient Scandinavian term meaning 'warden of nature.' At just 21, with no background in hospitality, I took a bold leap, securing a modest €35,000 budget to open the first location in Groningen.

Building the store from scratch was an intense learning curve. We opened without a finalized menu, operating in pure survival mode. Media buzz and local excitement brought strong initial sales, but behind the scenes, it was chaos. With no funds to hire staff, I managed everything myself—from sourcing ingredients to marketing and bookkeeping. Two months in, our bank account was drained, and our organic food supplier cut us off. The reality of entrepreneurship hit hard.

Faced with a choice—fight or fold—we chose to fight. We gathered every last cent, even cashing in deposit bottles to buy vegetables for the next day. Our daily routine was relentless: waking up at 7 a.m., cooking all the food ourselves, rushing to the store by 11 a.m., serving customers until 8 p.m., closing up, and finally finishing by 9 p.m. I was running on adrenaline, shedding 10 kilos as I worked non-stop, often forgetting to eat. My life revolved around Rå.

Then, an unexpected challenge threatened everything. Unexplained spasms led to a sudden collapse in the street, and I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy. My mother, terrified, urged me to step away from the business. But quitting wasn’t an option. Instead, I adapted—learning to manage my condition while scaling an increasingly demanding business. This experience reinforced a critical truth: resilience is just as vital as strategy in entrepreneurship.

Scaling to Hamburg: A Bold Leap Forward

During the construction of the Gänsemarkt store, Godaddy invited us to a shoot with germany’s next topmodel.

Two years in, I knew Groningen was just the beginning. Hamburg, my birthplace, was the ideal next step—a dynamic city where health-conscious professionals were craving better food options. I secured funding and opened our flagship store at Gänsemarkt. But what seemed like a promising launch quickly turned into a battle against bureaucracy. German authorities threw obstacle after obstacle our way, from legal disputes over store signage to endless permit delays. The lesson was clear: great ideas alone don’t succeed—persistence and adaptability are just as critical.

Despite the hurdles, Råbowls flourished. Through strategic influencer collaborations, partnerships with companies like WeWork and EDEKA, and data-driven digital marketing campaigns, we established ourselves as a leading brand in the healthy food space. Our bowls entered premium retail spaces, and partnerships with Gorillas and high-end supermarkets expanded our reach.

Facing Setbacks, Finding Strength

our shop-in-shop in edeka hafencity

Success came with its challenges. Some partnerships, initially promising, turned into costly lessons. We learned the hard way that not every business deal aligns with long-term sustainability. But in these challenges, I found allies like Ahsan, a dedicated entrepreneur from Pakistan who became my strongest business partner and closest friend. His determination and operational expertise helped stabilize the Hamburg store while I focused on growth.

Yet, the retail expansion presented its own difficulties. We opened a shop-in-shop in EDEKA Hafencity, a premium supermarket in a modern, upscale neighborhood for urban professionals in Hamburg. Sales skyrocketed, proving the demand for our brand. However, the margins were razor-thin, and operational complexities quickly surfaced. While it seemed like an incredible growth opportunity, we realized that profitability and independence must take priority over sheer expansion. The experience reinforced a crucial insight: not every promising partnership leads to sustainable success.

Going Solo & Elevating Råbowls to New Heights

By 2022, I made the bold decision to go solo, taking full ownership of Råbowls. It was daunting, but also liberating. I built the Rathaus location from the ground up, handling everything from branding and design to content creation and marketing. Sales surged, proving that the foundation I had built was strong.

Beyond restaurant operations, I expanded my expertise into digitalization, streamlining workflows through internal platforms and training apps. I harnessed my skills in content creation, photography, and filmmaking to position Råbowls as not just a restaurant, but a lifestyle brand. Through high-performing campaigns on Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Google Ads, I turned our audience into an engaged community.

More Than Business: A Mission for Impact

Looking back, my journey with Råbowls has been about more than just building a successful brand. It’s about proving that entrepreneurship is a force for positive change. It’s about pushing boundaries, challenging traditional food norms, and inspiring others to rethink what’s possible.

My ultimate vision extends beyond Råbowls. I see entrepreneurship as a vehicle for impact—whether in sustainable food, digital innovation, or new ventures like exploring the untapped potential of Yerba Mate as a superior energy alternative. Every step of this journey has reinforced my belief that comfort should never come before growth.

To those who share this mindset—those who believe in challenging the status quo, creating meaningful change, and redefining industries—let’s build something extraordinary together.

rabowls till constantin hamburg story rå

During challenging periods Ahsan helped us with his entrepreneurial spirit.

Till Constantin Lagemann

hi im till constantin, shortly tico. I love design, photography, and entrepreneurship. i founded råbowls because I love good food.

https://instagram.com/ticolagemann
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