Food retail technology and online grocery delivery unicorn Rohlik has snapped $170 million in growth capital. The investment was led by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) that backed Causaly and Craft Docs, alongside existing investors Sofina, Index Ventures, Quadrille, and TCF Capital and complemented by growth capital funding from the European Investment Bank (EIB) under its Scale-Up Initiative.
This investment in the Czech Republic unicorn follows the recent funding rounds in the Indian rapid delivery unicorn Zepto and the German on-demand grocery delivery unicorn Flink.
Funds utilisation
The investment will be used to fuel Rohlik’s ambitious expansion plans in DACH and CEE, where the company aims to establish its presence in more than 10 additional cities by 2030.
Tamas Nagy, Director, co-head of Equity Investments at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), said: “We first partnered with Rohlik three years ago and have been continuously impressed by the management team’s execution and investment into proprietary technology, automation, and increasing use of artificial intelligence across its operations. We are very proud to support Rohlik’s growth and expansion plans in the years to come.”
Kyriacos Kakouris, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), added: “This financing marks the first operation under the EIB Scale-up Initiative, designed to support more mature growth companies like Rohlik. It underscores our commitment to fostering innovation and digitalisation across Europe, particularly in sectors crucial to the competitiveness of our economy.”
15-minute deliveries
Founded by Tomáš Čupr in the Czech Republic, Rohlik offers best-in-class assortment, fast and reliable delivery, and is powered by its technology and automation. It redefines the customer experience and offers superior quality, efficiency, and sustainability compared to quick commerce and traditional grocery models.
The company operates fully automated fulfillment centres, leveraging a host of AI, ML, and robotics technologies to drive efficiency and high productivity without compromising on quality. These technologies are implemented across the business to provide customers with high-quality service at every step of the journey.
In addition, the company offers highly reliable 15-minute delivery windows and same-day deliveries available as soon as 1 hour after booking. Ninety-seven percent of Rohlik’s deliveries are on time.
Rohlik is active in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Germany, and Romania and is expanding further.
Growth amidst challenges
Despite the challenging macroeconomic environment and a period of turbulence in the industry, Rohlik has grown by 40% post-COVID. Rohlik’s ability to drive sustained growth and achieve profitability in key markets is a testament to its robust performance and compelling value proposition.
Despite this challenge, Rohlik has achieved rapid and sustainable growth across the DACH and CEE regions. The company now delivers over a million orders per month and served over 800,000 customers in 2023. The company is currently targeting revenues of over €1 billion with positive cash flow for the 2024 financial year.
Its success is driven by a best-in-class local assortment of goods, which ranges from fresh food from local farmers and artisans to supermarket goods, pharmacy items, and private label brands, alongside competitive prices, high levels of customer service, and fast, reliable delivery, powered by an innovative proprietary technology infrastructure.
Tomáš Čupr, founder and CEO of Rohlik Group, said: “There is huge demand across Europe for online groceries delivered quickly and reliably without any compromise on quality. We don’t see that as a short-term phenomenon, but as a long-term opportunity around which to build a market-leading proposition. At Rohlik, we have built the technology to deliver on that promise sustainably and profitably, leveraging AI, ML, and robotics technology with our obsession with customer service to drive maximum efficiency and high productivity. This funding will allow us to accelerate our growth, opening facilities in more than 10 new cities, and set the standard in online grocery delivery across Europe.”
What do we think about Rohlik?
The fast-growing online grocery company has secured this growth capital to fuel its expansion. Furthermore, its superior technology, AI-driven automation, and reliable 15-minute deliveries help the company establish its presence in over 10 new cities by 2030. This funding underscores confidence in its sustainable and profitable growth trajectory.
