In an industry dominated by large supermarket chains with big capital, it takes courage to enter the market as a online-only retailer, and it takes strong business acumen to succeed despite challenging industry and macroeconomic conditions. Yet, despite all odds, the Dutch online supermarket Picnic did just that. Operating in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, the Amsterdam-based grocery pure player was the
in its home country, and a rising force to be reckoned with in the German and French grocery markets.
An emerging (pure) player in a tumultuous online grocery market
The online food delivery industry that soared during the pandemic also tumbled during the ensuing recession. E-commerce start-ups in the burgeoning quick commerce segment particularly struggled to breakeven and minimize losses, and that instant grocery delivery market witnessed countless market exits and buy-outs. Picnic not only managed to increase its sales despite the recession, but the company actually managed to secure millions of euros in funding from investors at a time when funding for food delivery companies has dried up. In January 2024, Picnic raised 355 million euros in funding from investors that include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and German supermarket chain Edeka.
Sustainability, automation, affordability: a winning value proposition
Picnic’s popular appeal in the three markets it operates in is an interesting case worth investigating because it stands out as a success story amid trying times for the whole industry. In October 2023, Picnic’s monthly app downloads peaked at more than 280,000 in the Netherlands, France, and Germany. While almost half of its total mobile traffic comes from its home market, Picnic’s popular appeal in Germany is not to be understated. As of November 2023, around 38 percent of Picnic’s app downloads came from the German market.
So what is it about Picnic’s product offering that makes it so appealing to consumers in a way other online grocery retailers aren’t? One answer could be that Picnic has invested in robotization and automated fulfillment centers, which could have played a role in improving efficiency and scale and in turn, pricing strategies as well as product assortment. In addition, Picnic boasts a 100% electric fleet and a green supply chain.
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