The holiday season is here, and the shopping rush is well on. Are you still looking for that perfect Christmas gift? Don’t really want to join the madness in the shopping centres? Or maybe you’re worried you’re running out of time to get the perfect present?
Why not consider “the gift that keeps on giving” – subscription-based gifts. Those that can be enjoyed, not just for this season, but all throughout the year! Thankfully, European startups might just have the solution for you. Here’s our list of subscription-based gifts for you and your loved ones, for your consideration
Goodiebox: This Copenhagen-based beauty subscription gives its members a sampling of beauty products in a monthly “goodie box” that is sourced from large international as well niche brands. Each member receives a box containing at least 5 items with a total value of at least €80 for only €24.95, shipping included with each box containing 5 to 7 products with at least 2 in full sizes. The members can then test the product, leave reviews then re-purchase the products that they like in their next box. Goodiebox is available in all major continental European cities.
Oddbox: With the aim of rescuing “too big” or “too odd” foods produced before they even leave the farm, this UK-based start-up is trying to conquer food waste by ensuring that all food grown is eaten, regardless of their size, appearance, or quantity. As a grower-led business, Oddbox asks the farms directly for their spare produce, emails this “rescue list” to their subscribers and delivers them directly to consumers via a box of sizes from small to extra-large. The box’s contents can be fruits, vegetables, or a combination of both with an option to exclude up to three items weekly.
Bloom & Wild: Driven by their core belief that flowers are not just for special occasions but can brighten the everyday too; Bloom & Wild’s flower subscriptions help you deliver flowers regularly for yourself and for others. For £25 a box, including delivery, you will get fresh flowers every fortnight with an option to choose between two new bouquets each time. From £20 a month, you can send someone flowers for a set amount of time – either 3, 6 or 12 months – or for as long as you want. Since its inception in 2013 in the UK, Bloom & Wild has been known for pioneering letterbox flowers – flowers that are sent as buds for longevity and in boxes that fit through the letterbox. Bloom & Wild delivers in several countries in Europe including the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Austria.
Cheesegeek: The Cheesegeek calls itself the modern cheesemonger with its purely online store selling one-off boxes or monthly subscriptions to cheese lovers in the UK. The cheeses are sourced from artisans around the UK and delivered in eco-friendly, insulated boxes. Cheesegeek’s subscription contains 4 to 5 cheeses per box and subscriptions are always the ones to contain their latest and exclusive finds. The subscriptions can be for yourself or for someone else and can be delivered for set amount of time or on a rolling basis. Cheesegeek also has an app for buying, tracking and earning rewards. Their proprietary cheese system, called CASSIE, that powers subscription and create individualized cheese profile/journeys of each subscriber. Founded in 2017, and based in the UK, Cheesegeek gained recognition after it secured an investment in the TV show Dragon’s Den in January of this year.
Bike Club: Riding a bike is one of those experiences that everyone cherishes growing up. We also know that kids outgrow bikes perhaps faster than parents would want – needing to upgrade it to a bigger, sturdier or fancier one fit for growing needs. Never having to buy kids’ bike is what Bike Club, a subscription-based kids bike service based in the UK, is solving. The process is simple as choosing a bike for the kid, paying for the subscription then exchanging it for free after 18 months. The old bikes are refurbished and offered on a reduced monthly subscription under their reBike program.
Pasta Evangelists: Who doesn’t love pasta? Pasta Evangelist’s mission is to make fresh, artisan Italian pasta available to the UK using the finest ingredients handmade in London and delivered nationwide. The dishes take 5 minutes to prepare as the ingredients come pre-proportioned, chilled in boxes and delivered on the day of your choosing. The deliveries come in flexible subscription mode so you can receive regular recipes when it suits you, skip, pause or cancel the deliveries anytime. The boxes can also be gifted as a subscription to someone else.
Grover: Grover is a platform for technology rentals, enabling people to subscribe to tech products monthly instead of buying them. Founded in 2015 and based in Berlin, Grover’s mission is to make exceptional technology more accessible. Grover subscribers get access to a wide range of over 5,000 tech products, including smartphones, laptops, virtual reality (VR) gear, wearables and smart home appliances on a flexible monthly rental basis. Subscribers get to keep, switch, buy, or return products depending on their individual needs and budget. Rentals are available in the U.S., Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Spain through grover.com and in Germany through Grover’s online and offline partner network, including Europe’s leading electronics retail group, MediaMarktSaturn.
Mindful Chef: Mindful Chef offers recipe boxes on a flexible subscription that you can opt out of anytime. The process is simple as choosing your first box of up to 5 recipes and the number of persons (from 1 to 4), scheduling the delivery then deciding on your next recipes and schedule of delivery. Launched in London in 2015 by school friends Giles Humphries, Myles Hopper and Robert Grieg-Gran, the Mindful Chef delivers ethically sourced ingredients from small UK farms and producers and is now the highest-rated recipe box in the UK.
foodist: Foodist is a Hamburg-based online food shopping platform for food trends. Foodist promises to introduce exciting European food trends to its customers – from one-time and occasional shoppers to regular subscribers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Monthly Foodist boxes contain 6 to 8 delicacies, snacks and drinks from manufacturers all over Europe. There are also speciality and vegan boxes curated by influencers like Pamela Reif. The content of the boxes changes monthly depending on the trends.
EU-Startups Club Membership: Why not gift the chance to stay up to date with the European startup ecosystem? And also gift access to a range of exclusive benefits and goodies? Membership of the EU-Startups Club gives unrestricted access to our editorial archive, startup database, free job posts, and members-only content in addition to deals for some of the world’s best SaaS products and services for startups – representing a value of about €22k!
By the way: If you’re a corporate or investor looking for exciting startups in a specific market for a potential investment or acquisition, check out our Startup Sourcing Service!
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