France’s Foodles feeds workforce fresh food from formidable fridges

Not that the French might have a slight advantage over the English, Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish when it comes to cuisine, but … Parisian scale-up Foodles has successfully entered the UK market to bring the tasty vittles to the workforce with the aim of transforming the way people dine at work.

Currently serving over 40,000 meals a week in France to a client base that includes Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, ODDO BHF, Ubisoft, and Veepee, the startup counts over 1 million meals dispensed to date via some 300 smart, and profitable, refrigerators.

Offered on a monthly maintenance fee, Foodles’ offer provides large and medium-sized companies with a fresh alternative to outdated canteens and/or grab-and-go solutions oft popularised in days of yore.

With its connected capabilities, Foodles’ refrigerators are able to analyse customer preferences and restock accordingly, not only ensuring top desired items remain always at hand, but cutting down on any unnecessary food waste, a figure Foodles claims to reduce by 10%.

“With over half of UK workers reported to never take their full lunch break and the average worker allocating just 27 minutes for lunch, a change in mindset and behaviour is needed,” explained Foodles UK GM Renaud Barnoin. “By providing fresh, tasty and affordable meal options at any time of the day, businesses can encourage a communal atmosphere around meal and break times, contributing to a more cohesive and friendly company culture – something that is high on the priority list for every business leader today.” 

Foodles has raised over €42 million in funding since 2015 - with backing by InfraVia Growth Partners, Bpifrance Large Venture, Creadev, DN Capital, and Adelie.