HelloFresh Takes On Italy

Berlin-based meal-kit company HelloFresh has expanded its business to Italy. The market entry is part of the group’s global strategy to expand its total addressable market and secure long-term sustainable growth, according to the company. Italy is the second geography to launch in 2021, following Norway earlier this year.

“We are excited to offer customers in Italy an inspiring and convenient alternative to shop and cook for dinner. By focusing on sustainability, alongside locally sourced, high-quality ingredients and delicious recipes, we are providing them with a unique value proposition,” said Thomas Griesel, co-founder of HelloFresh, in a statement. “We are looking forward to broadly establishing and leading the meal-kit category in Italy.

“Italian cuisine is fantastic, which is why we are going to offer an exciting mix of traditional Italian recipes and a bespoke collection of HelloFresh recipes from 15 international markets,” continued Griesel. “Our thorough analysis has shown that the Italian market is ready for meal kits and that the country offers great conditions to expand our total addressable market.”

The meal-kit category in Italy is still in its infancy, giving HelloFresh the opportunity to establish and define the sector in a market of 26 million households, notes the company, adding that 75% of households will be served from the initial launch date, with plans to expand the offering in the short-term future.

HelloFresh, which doubled its U.S. sales to about $2.5 billion last fiscal year, operates in the U.S., the U.K., Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway and now Italy. In the second quarter of 2021, HelloFresh delivered 254 million meals and reached 7.7 million active customers.

The company’s Italian operations will be coordinated from a newly opened office in Milan. HelloFresh also has opened a state-of-the-art fulfilment center in the province of Lodi, close to Milan. By operating locally, HelloFresh is able to take the lead on its sustainability-related commitments, which include significantly reducing food waste and carbon emissions across the supply chain, says the company.

HelloFresh adds that it will send no food waste to landfill from the new operation, which will also feature 100% green energy for the office and solar panels scheduled to be installed on top of the warehouse. Direct carbon emissions will be offset as part of HelloFresh’s global commitment to carbon neutrality.