Retail giant Carrefour has acquired a majority stake in French meal-kit start up Quitoque.
The meal-kit company was created in 2014, and is now the market leader in France, delivering nearly three million meals last year.
Quitoque works on a subscription service, that delivers local, organic and seasonal products to customers each week, with 'varied and healthy' recipes that they can prepare at home.
Following Carrefour's investment, Quitoque will remain managed by its co-founders, who will continue to develop the company alongside the retailer.
E-Commerce Investment
Carrefour says that this investment will allow the group to expand its food e-commerce offering, in line with the company's ambition of becoming a leading omnichannel retail.
As part the group's five-year transformation plan, which was launched by CEO Alexandre Bompard in January, Carrefour aims to increase its food e-commerce turnover to €5 billion.
“Carrefour constantly strives to be closer to its customers and to enrich the shopping experience by offering innovative services that simplify everyday shopping," said Marie Cheval, executive director for customers, services and digital transformation at Carrefour.
"At the crossroads of digital and food, Quitoque will enable us to strengthen our position in the Foodtech industry in order to provide an omnichannel response to new consumer habits through the combination of proximity, convenience and quality.”
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
