Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · 1391 Air Rail Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23455, USA
Taster is a company.
Taster has raised $54.0M across 5 funding rounds.
Key people at Taster.
Taster has raised $54.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Taster develops and operates digital restaurant brands, collaborating with chefs and creators for unique culinary experiences. Focused on a delivery-first model, the company builds a network of virtual kitchens that prepare and distribute innovative food concepts. Its approach leverages technology to make high-quality food accessible, redefining restaurant operations for the modern consumer.
Taster was founded in 2017 by Anton Soulier. As a former Deliveroo employee, Soulier identified a market need for consistent, high-quality takeaway food. He envisioned a platform to create and scale compelling food brands for delivery, establishing Taster to elevate at-home dining through meticulously crafted digital restaurants.
Taster serves customers seeking convenient access to high-quality, innovative food via its virtual brands. The company’s vision is to continually reinvent the restaurant landscape, adapting to evolving consumer preferences and technological advancements. It aims to be a leading force in future food delivery, introducing new dining concepts to the market.
Key people at Taster.
Taster is a London-based food tech company founded in 2017 that creates and franchises delivery-only food brands, aiming to reinvent fast food through a multi-brand network optimized for modern lifestyles.[1][2] It builds iconic, digitally native brands like Pépé Chicken, Dirty Vegan Burger, Starsmash, and the 2025 UK launch SpudBros Express, co-created with influencers and talented creators, then franchises them to kitchen partners with support in menus, supply chain, tech tools, and marketing.[1][2][4] Serving delivery-hungry consumers via platforms in Europe, Taster solves common pain points like soggy or cold food by designing meals that travel well, using quality ingredients, quick prep, and innovative packaging—operating from 114 locations across four countries and 60 cities as of recent reports.[4][5] Its growth momentum includes rapid expansion from Paris to the UK, Belgium, and Netherlands, with a laser focus on B2C personalization and new brand launches.[1][4]
Taster was founded in 2017 by Anton Soulier in Paris, initially as Mission Food, after he identified a gap in delivery-only kitchens while working on early projects.[2][5] Soulier, spotting the rise of food delivery, pivoted to create digitally native brands centered on customer experience, quality, variety, speed, and sustainability—avoiding high costs of traditional restaurants by leveraging existing kitchens and tech.[4][5] Early traction came from launching pioneering delivery-only concepts in Paris, quickly expanding to the UK, Belgium, and Netherlands with brands like Pépé Chicken and Dirty Vegan Burger that won thousands of customers.[1][5] Pivotal moments include building a B2B franchise model with operational excellence, a tech suite for stock and delivery platforms, and five brands by 2022, evolving into a global ambition to become the world's largest restaurant chain via delivery.[4]
Taster rides the explosive growth of food delivery, accelerated by post-pandemic shifts where consumers demand convenience, quality, and variety without dine-in compromises—tapping a market where delivery now dominates urban eating.[4][5] Timing is ideal amid rising virtual kitchens and "dark kitchens," with market forces like platform efficiencies (e.g., Uber Eats, Deliveroo), sustainability pressures, and e-commerce habits favoring scalable, low-overhead models over bricks-and-mortar.[2][5] It influences the ecosystem by pioneering "delivery-first" franchising, empowering kitchen owners and creators, standardizing high-quality virtual brands, and pushing tech innovations that could personalize experiences at scale—positioning as a leader against competitors like Hero Kitchens or Kitchen Ventures.[2][4]
Taster's trajectory points to aggressive global franchising, B2C personalization via data-driven customer journeys, and game-changing brand launches to capture dominant market share in delivery food.[1][4] Trends like AI-optimized menus, sustainable sourcing, and hyper-local expansion will shape it, amplifying influence as delivery eclipses traditional dining. Expect evolution into a tech-powered food empire, redefining fast food for a mobile world—building on its founder-led ambition to flip delivery disappointments into delights.[5]
Taster has raised $54.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $37.0M Series B in April 2021.
Taster has raised $54.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Taster's investors include Ada Ventures, Ankaa Ventures, C4 Ventures, Eurazeo, Heartcore Capital, Index Ventures, MS&AD Ventures, NewAlpha, Octopus Ventures, Playfair Capital, Plug & Play Ventures, Ben Holmes.
