The online food delivery space has seen enormous growth in recent years and has driven the success of some of the biggest names in tech today, from on-demand delivery services to kitchen operators. Digital food brands devised from the ground up for food delivery and optimized through technological innovations are the next frontier for the online food delivery market, which is expected to be worth €320 billion by 2030.
Founded in 2017, London-based Taster is creating a range of delivery-only online restaurant brands. The startup has raised €7 million in Series A investment from Battery Ventures, Heartcore Capital, LocalGlobe, Marc Ménasé, and other existing investors.
Founded in 2017 by Anton Soulier, one of the first employees at Deliveroo, Taster creates and operates online restaurant brands available through on-demand food delivery platforms. The company is experiencing 30% month-on-month growth, and currently operates three different restaurant brands across London, Paris, and Madrid. Taster already has a team of 115 employees, of which 100 are chefs, and has served over 400,000 meals to date.
Taster’s rapid growth is due to the success of its three delivery-only restaurants: Mission Saigon, O Ke Kai, and Out-Fry. Each was devised in partnership with renowned chefs, one of whom holds two Michelin stars, and each offers a unique menu, quality ingredients, rapid service, and food made for delivery. The restaurants deliver their meals through popular food delivery services like Deliveroo, UberEATS and Glovo, and prepare meals in local kitchens designed for food delivery.
Taster has developed a host of technological innovations to help rapidly deploy its restaurants in new areas, seamlessly integrate across delivery platforms, and automate supply chain and billings, including an algorithm that accurately predicts the right amount of ingredients to order and prepare for each of their restaurants’ dishes on a daily basis – drastically reducing food waste and ensuring efficiency.
“Since launching Taster just two years ago, we have been bowled over by the incredible reception our restaurants have received; this is testament to the passion and expertise our chefs bring to our kitchens every day, the huge consumer demand for quality food devised and crafted especially for on-demand delivery, and the benefits of a hyper-local business model,” said Taster CEO and founder Anton Soulier. “Delivery platforms are fast becoming the new high street, and the infrastructure is now in place for food to go online; with Taster, we want to build iconic restaurant brands for this new era.
“We couldn’t be happier to welcome a host of impressive investors with our funding, which will help us reach more people across the UK, France and Spain, launch exciting new restaurant brands, and double down on our technology offering.”
The new investment will be used to recruit talent across tech and engineering, supply chain and marketing, and to develop new technologies. Taster plans to launch three new online restaurant brands by the end of the year, and will also be expanding its coverage across the entirety of Paris, London, and Madrid by the end of 2019.
“The on-demand economy is revolutionizing multiple industries, and restaurants are at the forefront of this trend,” said Scott Tobin, general partner at Battery Ventures. “The team at Taster is staking out a new frontier in food delivery, leveraging cutting-edge technology and posting impressive traction to date with its three strong, delivery-only brands. We are delighted to be partnering with Anton and his team as Taster continues to expand its offering and international presence.”
