Online supermarket Picnic is receiving 100 million euros of additional capital from four Dutch private equity firms in order to facilitate its further growth. The online supermarket officially announced the investment on 28 March 2017. Picnic has grown at an explosive pace since it was launched eighteen months ago.
Picnic operates in Dutch cities including Utrecht, Amersfoort and Almere. It recently announced that it will soon also begin serving Delft, Leidschendam, Voorburg, Nootdorp, Ede and Veenendaal. More than 30,000 Dutch households have now done their grocery shopping at the online supermarket. The cheerful and brightly coloured electric minivans have now become a familiar part of the streetscape. The use of these electric vehicles means Picnic’s huge growth does not have any negative impact on the environment. Picnic customers have been involved in the development of the concept and the range since day one. Picnic has proven to be appealing to all households because it offers the lowest prices and free delivery.
In addition to NPM Capital, private equity firms De Hoge Dennen, Hoyberg and Finci are participating in the investment. The joint investment will enable Picnic to realise its ambitious growth plans.
Investors are impressed by Picnic’s innovative tech approach. It allows Picnic to combine outstanding service with free delivery using electric minivans. ‘We’re a modern corner shop that has everything, is affordable for everyone and is always handy,’ says founder Joris Beckers. ‘The incredibly enthusiastic response from customers in every city in which we’ve opened has given us the confidence to now make our service available to everyone throughout the Netherlands as soon as possible and in doing so to become the world’s most sustainable supermarket.’
NPM invests for the long term in Dutch companies that have a sustainable mission. Bart Coopmans, Managing Director of NPM: ‘Picnic is a characteristic example of a company that fits our long-term strategy. A fantastic Dutch innovation with a strong brand, an ambitious team and huge potential. We’re proud to be a part of it.’
Picnic will begin operating in more and more cities over the coming years and expects to provide employment for more than 2,000 people this year. It could create 10,000 new jobs in the longer term.
Picnic’s growth and ambitions demonstrate the tremendous potential of Dutch scale-ups. His Royal Highness Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands, who serves as Special Envoy to StartupDelta: ‘Picnic’s mission is refreshing. It thinks big and shows what is possible in the Netherlands in terms of technological innovation and creating new employment. The Dutch investors have shown their willingness to make a major investment in a company that has a long-term vision. This is a fantastic development.’
About Picnic
Before the launch in late 2015, Picnic worked for three years in secret with a team of 30 specialists to develop a sustainable online supermarket without any unnecessary intermediary links. The customer chooses the delivery run that is most convenient for them and can track the exact delivery time down to the minute on the Picnic grocery shopping radar. The costs of this new distribution model are so low that the delivery is free and the groceries are available at the lowest prices.
Picnic is an initiative of a team of Dutch entrepreneurs: Online entrepreneurs Joris Beckers and Frederik Nieuwenhuys were the owners of Fredhopper, the personalisation software developer for webshops. Serial entrepreneur Michiel Muller was an initiator of the Tango petrol stations and ANWB (Royal Dutch Touring Club) competitor Route Mobiel and entrepreneur Bouke van der Wal is the owner of Boni supermarkets. Retail entrepreneur Gerard Scheij recently joined the team.
More about Picnic: www.picnic.nl
