Bene Bono is a technology company.
Bene Bono is focused on providing food that is good for you, the planet, and your wallet, while also supporting producers.
Bene Bono has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round.
Bene Bono has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Bene Bono is a Paris-based foodtech startup founded in 2020 that rescues aesthetically imperfect organic produce and surplus food from waste, delivering it to consumers via a subscription-based e-grocery service at discounts up to 40%.[1][2][4] It serves over 23,000 regular subscribers in France and Spain, connecting farmers, cooperatives, and manufacturers directly with eco-conscious customers to tackle food waste while supporting local agriculture and offering high-quality, affordable organics.[1][2][3] The company recently raised €10M in Series A funding (total raised ~$20.61M), led by AXA Venture Partners (AVP) and 2050, with participation from Stride.VC and Project A Ventures, fueling expansion in France and Spain, product diversification, and sustainability initiatives like reusable packaging.[1][2][4]
With strong unit economics, a pivot to a fully customizable subscription model, and operations in six Spanish cities plus France, Bene Bono demonstrates robust growth momentum, including 7.5 tonnes of rescued produce sold in its first month in Madrid alone.[3][5] Its infrastructure—1,300 delivery hubs, in-house warehouses for "ugly" fruits and vegetables (F&V), and a private label line—optimizes logistics and margins in a low-barrier, operationally complex market.[2]
Bene Bono was founded in 2020 by Grégoire Carlier (CEO, operations-heavy business experience), Claire Laurent (COO, foodtech background), and Sven Ripoche (CMO, strategy consulting), who identified massive food waste from aesthetic rejections and logistical inefficiencies in organic produce supply chains.[1][3][5] Initially launched as Hors Normes, the idea emerged from observing how 10-15% of food production—perfectly edible but irregular in shape, size, color, or labeling—gets discarded by traditional retailers.[2][3][4]
Early traction came swiftly in France, building a consumer brand through an app with customizable orders, delivery management, and recipe suggestions, while expanding to Spain in 2023 with local infrastructure in Madrid.[2][5] Pivotal moments include a €7M prior round enabling international growth and the recent €10M raise, which validated their model amid rising sustainability awareness post-2020.[1][5] Now with ~100 employees, the team has scaled to serve thousands, proving execution in food logistics.[3][7]
Bene Bono rides the surplus food marketplace trend, part of the exploding food waste reduction sector (e.g., Misfits Market, OddBox), amplified by EU sustainability mandates and consumer demand for affordable organics amid inflation.[2][4] Timing is ideal: post-2020 climate awareness, 10-15% wasted food supply supports multiple leaders, and e-grocery boomed during pandemics, with Bene Bono differentiating via international scale (unlike local players).[3]
Market forces like regulatory pushes against waste, rising organic demand, and logistics tech (data-driven warehouses, apps) favor it; low entry barriers demand execution excellence, where Bene Bono excels via tech orchestration of complex ops.[2][3] It influences the ecosystem by proving profitable models for "ugly" produce, boosting farmer revenues, enabling consumer alternatives to big retail, and pioneering reusable logistics in Europe.[1][4][5]
Bene Bono is poised for hypergrowth, targeting profitability via AOV boosts, 1,000 SKUs, new categories (pet food, personal care), and private label expansion while hiring key roles like Director of Purchasing.[2][3] Trends like AI-optimized supply chains, e-bike logistics, and stricter waste laws will propel it toward European dominance in surplus marketplaces.
Its influence may evolve from French pioneer to multi-country e-grocery leader, potentially acquiring rivals or partnering with retailers, as unit economics and team execution unlock broader impact—turning waste into a scalable, planet-saving business.[1][3] This €10M milestone cements Bene Bono as the frontrunner rescuing organics from oblivion.[1]
Bene Bono has raised $1.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Bene Bono's investors include Bennett Siegel, BITKRAFT Ventures, Coatue, Entrepreneur First, Fuse Venture Partners, #SecretFund, Tet Ventures, Matthias Wilrich, Stefan Jeschonnek.
Bene Bono has raised $1.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $1.0M Seed in June 2021.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2021 | $1.0M Seed | Bennett Siegel, BITKRAFT Ventures, Coatue, Entrepreneur First, Fuse Venture Partners, #SecretFund, Tet Ventures, Matthias Wilrich, Stefan Jeschonnek |