The fast-growing Czech online supermarket Rohlik has raised 220 million euros from Belgian investment fund Sofina and several existing investors. The company will use this money to invest in technological innovation and further expansion.
One million customers
Rohlik will use its new capital to automate its distribution centres and to purchase electric vehicles. The new capital round was led by Sofina, which also invests in Gorillas and Veepee. Existing investors Index Ventures and founder Tomáš Čupr also provided the e-tailer with fresh money. In total, the Czech online supermarket has already raised more than half a billion euros.
The ambitious retailer wants to grow further in existing markets. Today, the web supermarket is active under different names in major European cities such as Prague (rohlik.cz), Budapest (kifli.hu), Vienna (gurkerl.at), Munich and Frankfurt (knuspr.de). The service will soon also be launched in Hamburg and (as Sezamo) in Bucharest, Madrid and Milan. The company already serves one million customers.
On the road to profit
The business model of Rohlik Group is halfway between a quick commerce delivery service and a traditional online supermarket. The webshop offers customers a complete range of some 17,000 products: a mix of well-known brands, private labels and fresh products bought from local farmers. The groceries are delivered to the home within two hours.
Last year Rohlik had sales of 490 million euro, a growth of 53 %. The average shopping basket amounted to more than 85 euros. The company does not give profit or loss figures, but CEO Tomáš Čupr says the Czech core market has been EBITDA profitable since 2018, and the other markets are on track to become profitable this year. He does not see any weakening of growth after the pandemic.
