Hello Fresh pushes ahead with expansion plans after surge in demand
Meal kit delivery firm Hello Fresh is pushing ahead with expansion plans due to a surge in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said it delivered 162m meals during the third quarter, a jump of 135.1 per cent compared to last year, and has expanded its product offering with more vegetarian options.
Revenue jumped to €970.1m, up from €440.6m last year, as customers sought delivery services during the pandemic.
Hello Fresh will open a new production facility in Nuneaton to double its capacity, and will invest in new technology to give customers a more personal experience, such as recipe recommendations and customisation.
Laurent Guillemain, Hello Fresh chief executive, said: “We have come a long way since the beginning of the pandemic and I couldn’t be more proud of what the team has accomplished.
“Despite a challenging operating environment we have succeeded to further innovate and grow our product range and improve our service levels, all while continuously delivering fresh, high quality food to our customers’ doorsteps.”
Mark Lynch, partner at Oghma Partners, said: “The acceleration in growth and customer numbers at Hello Fresh in the quarter highlighted the general global trend across the Direct to Consumer sector which has been one of staggering sales growth undoubtedly aided by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Consumers are going to the shops less to reduce the risk of infection and this is helping to drive sales growth.
“More generally, the pandemic is turbo boosting an underlying trend of growth of Direct to Consumer businesses which is driven by the benefit of convenience and ease. “