Curb, the Swedish dark kitchen company, today announces a €3.2 million funding round led by EQT Ventures, with participation from existing investors. Curb is a delivery-first dark kitchen provider that is setting out to shape the future of takeaway. The funding will be used to support extensive growth across Europe, as the food delivery industry is predicted to continue to grow since the COVID pandemic began.
Founded in May 2020 by Carl Tengberg (CEO) and Felipe Gutierrez (CSO), the core team hails from leadership positions in foodora and Delivery Hero, with 15 years of experience working across the food delivery industry. Curb creates all its food concepts, building each brand from the ground-up using insights and data, tailoring each to changing consumer demands. This means Curb can offer evolving food options to customers who frequently use delivery services, integrating with existing food delivery platforms.
COVID-19 has created an inflection point for the restaurant industry, causing an unprecedented rise in the demand for food delivery services tempered by the closure of restaurants and cafes. By leveraging technology, operational excellence, and consumer insights, Curb aims to fix common issues that plague food delivery such as inconsistent quality, high prices, and low profitability. By harnessing its tech stack, Curb knows what brand to create next, which market to expand to, and how to increase their operational efficiency.
Carl Tengberg, CEO and founder of Curb, said: “We’re setting out to push the frontiers of food innovation. We see an opportunity to fix what’s broken in food delivery and the supply side is the best angle to attack the problem. No doubt the pandemic has turned the hospitality industry upside-down — but it’s also accelerated consumers’ comfort using home delivery services. Now, at this inflection point, we’re excited to revolutionise the global food delivery through our data-driven and digital-first approach, while also becoming the first choice for professionals looking to grow and develop in the industry.”
Sandra Malmberg, Venture Lead at EQT Ventures, added: “As we have witnessed Wolt’s hyper growth, we are thrilled to back Curb to disrupt the supply side of the value chain with tech-enabled kitchens designed for home delivery. The team’s background and insight means they have an unparalleled understanding of the market, maximising the opportunity. We can’t wait to support Curb’s aggressive ambitions in capturing this with their unique way of building food concepts to become the fastest innovators in the food delivery scene.”
