From Southern Estonia to Switzerland

Fibes was born in the hills of Southern Estonia, where Tea and Sulev Nõmmann — scientists, entrepreneurs, and founders of the KODAS cider house — built a life around food, fermentation, and flavour. Their son Ingmar grew up surrounded by nature, craft, and quality food. Inspired by his own health-focused lifestyle, he set out to change how people eat, starting with the gut.

The result was Fibes: a functional fruit purée made from upcycled apple pomace — the pulp left over from juice production. Each pouch contains approximately 6g of dietary fibre, combining psyllium husks, citrus fibre, soluble oat bran, and marigold extract with real fruit purées including apple, cherry, and sea buckthorn. No added sugar, no artificial additives — just ingredients your gut recognises.

Fibes is backed by real science. In 2023, an 11-week dietary intervention study conducted in collaboration with food scientists at TFTAK — involving 39 participants — showed a measurable decrease in bacteria associated with inflammation and obesity, a significant increase in active fermentative bacteria, and a trend toward lower blood cholesterol levels.

Fibes in Switzerland

I am Jürgen. Fibes came into my life by accident. An exciting accident.

I was in Southern Estonia for my grandfather's birthday. On the way back from a restaurant, we drove past a factory road entrance. My grandparents and aunt said we should stop — I'd never been. So we did.

The factory was closed. But my grandfather, old school as he is, knocked on the door anyway. By chance, the owner Sulev Nõmmann was inside. He let us in.

There was a Japanese art exhibition running in the factory that day. We walked through it. On the way out, I noticed some pouches sitting on the bar counter. I stopped to look. Sulev told me what they were — Fibes, a functional fruit purée made from the apple pomace left over from their juice production. We started talking. It turned out Sulev and I both have scientific backgrounds, and the conversation went deep. He took us through the production floor and explained everything — the upcycling process, the fibre blend, the gut health research behind it.

By the end of the visit, I suggested bringing Fibes to Switzerland. He was excited. I've been working with his son Ingmar on this project ever since.

That's how FIBES Switzerland started — with a grandfather who knocks on closed doors, a Japanese art show in an Estonian factory, and a chance conversation that turned into something real. We're based in Neftenbach, Zurich, and ship across Switzerland from eatfibes.ch.