Innovation in Action - The Story of Foodles as it enters the London Market

There are new inspirational stories and businesses emerging all the time. One is the story which lies behind Foodles.

Foodles was founded in 2015 in France by serial entrepreneurs and food enthusiasts, Michaël Ormancey and Clément Bonhomme. This year, Foodles enters the London market and as it does so, it will pose new questions and solutions for many to consider. It is particularly interesting as their model is one which a number have considered during the last two years. However, now a proven model enters the London market, provides an option to be considered and it will be fascinating to see how the market responds.

Foodles provides fresh, tasty and affordable food 24/7 to employees working in hospitality, real-estate, and corporate offices through appropriately-stocked, connected fridges. The fridges are designed to manage food waste and consumer demand through Foodles’ proprietary technology platform resulting in at least 10% less food waste than its closest competitors. Foodles is a step change from traditional canteens or ‘grab and go’ options, providing employers with a cost-effective perk for their staff, while offering employees a more flexible, convenient and sociable way to eat around the clock

Last year alone, Foodles delivered a million meals last year and currently provides circa 40,0000 meals per week to employees across France with more than 310 smart fridges installed at nearly 250 customer sites including Groupe SNCF, La Monnaie de Paris and Ubisoft.

Foodles has raised over €42 million in funding since 2015 - with backing by InfraVia Growth Partners, Bpifrance Large Venture, Creadev, DN Capital and Adelie - and is now committed to expanding in Europe. Fair to say that many do see the real potential in the service and the model. It is a sign of a strong business in development.

Some of the key sectors that Foodles is targeting include the hospitality, corporate and real-estate industries to plug a gap and make high-quality, fresh, affordable food available to employees around the clock. Equally, Foodles aims to help employers create a sociable working environment to enhance the connection of time spent in the office and break the culture of eating at desks.

Renaud Barnoin, General Manager UK, Foodles, commented: “Foodles is all about offering people access to better quality and more sustainable meal options while at work. As we all adapt to new hybrid working environments, businesses need to offer employees meaningful incentives to return to offices. With over half of UK workers reported to never take their full lunch break and the average worker allocating just 27 minutes for lunch, a change in mindset and behaviour is needed. By providing fresh, tasty and affordable meal options at any time of the day, businesses can encourage a communal atmosphere around meal and break times, contributing to a more cohesive and friendly company culture – something that is high on the priority list for every business leader today.”