UK’s Collectiv Food banks $17m to transform urban food supply chains

Collectiv Food said in a statement that it will use the Series A funds to accelerate its takings, marketing. R&D efforts, and widen further in Europe having already launched in its native UK and nearby France. The startup allows its city-based diners — including restaurants, caterers, and grocers — to pick up produce collectively, enabling them to secure more competitive rates than if they bought individually through traditional channels.

It sources “high-value products such as meat, plant-based protein, and seafood” directly from more than 1,000 “carefully vetted” makers. Collectiv as well cuts out intermediaries and eliminates food waste and shortfall by delivering fresh food directly from growers to its customers, offering a transparent supply chain that it manages end-to-end.

By leaning on automation and an “innovative” last-mile delivery setup, the firm claims it’s able to save its clients as much as 25% in costs and reduce typical delivery emissions by half. Diners include several of the UK’s “fastest growing restaurant groups,” including The Hush Collection , Big Mamma Group , Dirty Bones , Megan’s , Crussh , Butchies , Cocotte , Tossed , and Fresh Fitness Food . “It’s a really exciting time for Collectiv Food. Foodservice is a legacy business that has not benefited from innovation yet.

We believe that this industry has reached an inflection point where the existing modus operandi will no longer be viable […] To build a healthier. Better food system, we not only need full transparency of products, but as well a sustainable way of reaching buyers.