The COVID-19 pandemic has created an inflection point for the restaurant industry, causing a huge demand for food delivery services tempered by the closure of restaurants and cafes. However, it was plagued, by many serious issues including, inconsistent quality, high prices, and low profitability.
Based out of Stockholm, Curb, a delivery-first dark kitchen provider, aims to fix these common issues by harnessing its tech stack.
Raised £2.9M funding
Recently, the Swedish startup raised €3.2 million (approx £2.9 million) funding round led by EQT Ventures, with participation from existing investors. As the food delivery industry is booming, the funding will be used to support extensive growth across Europe.
Huge global opportunity by 2030
According to a Euromonitor virtual webinar, Ghost kitchens, or cooking facilities that produce food only for delivery with no dine-in or customer-facing areas, could create a $1 trillion (approx £748 billion) global opportunity by 2030.
Fully tailored to home delivery
Founded in May 2020 by Carl Tengberg (CEO) and Felipe Gutierrez (CSO), the core team hails from leadership positions in foodora and Delivery Hero. The company creates all its food concepts, building each brand from the ground-up using insights and data, tailoring each to changing consumer demands.
Further, the Swedish company also offers evolving food options to customers who frequently use delivery services, integrating with existing food delivery platforms.
Carl Tengberg, CEO and founder of Curb, said: “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 mean they have an unparalleled understanding of the market, maximising the opportunity.”
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