German meal-kit delivery firm HelloFresh has reported a surge in second-quarter sales and core profit, confirming its July estimates, as extended coronavirus lockdowns kept on driving demand for food deliveries in the United States and other markets.
The Berlin-based company, which lets customers choose among its online recipes and have the pre-portioned ingredients delivered at their doorstep, has also raised its full-year guidance, citing increased demand amid a resurgence the virus in some of its markets and higher retention of its customers.
It now expects 2020 revenue growth on a constant currency basis of between 75% and 95%, up from an earlier range of 55%-70% and adjusted earnings before interest tax, depreciation and amortisation margin between 9% and 11% from previously forecasted 8%-10%.
Food Deliveries
HelloFresh, which saw a steady increase in orders in recent months due to more people relying on food deliveries and cooking at home during the pandemic, is benefiting from social distancing rules and renewed risks of second-waves, which keep customers away from brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants.
The company's second-quarter revenue more than doubled year-on-year to €972.1 million, from €436.7 million in the second-quarter of 2019, in-line with its own forecasts of around €965-975 million.
Adjusted EBITDA came in at €153.6 million against the company's July estimate of around €145-155 million .
"The growth we've been seeing in the last months has been exceptional, as both new and existing customers have made HelloFresh their go-to choice for cooking at home," chief executive Dominik Richter said in a statement, adding there were clear indicators that customers have started to form new habits and expanded their share of weekly meals.
News by Reuters, edited by ESM. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
