Italy-based restaurant tech startup Soplaya has just closed a funding round of €12.5 million, bringing its total funding to €16 million. This significant financial milestone underscores the startup's growing influence in the food supply chain industry, particularly in facilitating procurement for businesses such as hotels and restaurants.
The Funding Details
The latest funding round includes €11.5 million in equity, led by Sinergia Venture Fund (Alkemia Capital), and contributions from previous round investors P101, Azimut, and CDP Venture Capital through the Italia Venture I fund. Additionally, €1 million was provided as debt by Intesa San Paolo. This follows a previous funding round of €3.5 million in July 2020.
Soplaya's Business Model
Launched five years ago, Soplaya operates as a digital wholesaler for restaurants, offering easy access to a wide range of artisanal, local, or niche products, as well as popular food brands. The company's innovative approach allows restaurateurs to aggregate all orders into a single delivery through its app, three logistic hubs, and a fleet of refrigerated vehicles. To date, Soplaya has made over 100,000 deliveries, supplying more than a million products to over 2,000 restaurants, bars, and hotels in 15 Italian cities.
Democratizing B2B Food Supply Chain
Soplaya aims to democratize access to the B2B food supply chain for all producers, large and small, by eliminating investments in sales, logistics, deliveries, orders, payments, and invoice management. It's not just a marketplace but a comprehensive tool that enables chefs and restaurateurs to have full control over their purchasing data, create product lists for menus, place orders with a single click, receive personalized product recommendations, and get precise delivery notifications.
Focus on Sustainability
Mauro Germani, CEO of Soplaya, envisions a future where independent restaurants and small-medium chains have access to rapid and efficient deliveries and quality ingredients at transparent and fair prices. The company's technology and automation applied to every stage of the restaurant supply chain are expected to radically improve transparency, efficiency, and sustainability. This will bring time savings and cost reductions previously accessible only to large hospitality companies.
Future Plans and AI Application
With the new funding, Soplaya aims to consolidate its presence in the Italian market and prepare for expansion into new countries. The application of AI in managing operations and predicting demand is one of the significant innovations that will benefit restaurants and suppliers in the coming years.
Conclusion
Soplaya's recent funding round is a testament to its potential as a leader in the European food supply chain sector. The company's innovative approach and focus on sustainability are set to revolutionize the industry, offering improved margins for restaurateurs and suppliers, reducing CO2 emissions, and minimizing food waste.