As the speedy grocery giants falter, this startup is backing a sustainable alternative
Summary
That includes French startup La Tourn\xe9e, which offers a zero-waste grocery delivery service to customers on a day of their choice, instead of on-demand. The products are delivered in reusable containers that are picked up at the next delivery.The startup has now raised 2m in a pre-seed round led by French firm Frst.vc, joined by the founders of Back Market, Drivy and Dashlane.The company launched last November and has been testing the viability of its business model with just one warehouse, servicing three d\xe9partments in the west of Paris: Hauts-de-Seine, Val dOise and Yvelines. Dutch startup Pieter Pot raised a 9m seed round last December and runs a zero-waste grocery delivery service. Now the group employs 20 people.The startup has 10 electric vans that it leases, which means the drivers can cover large distances spread across residential areas. In Europe, some single-use products like plastic plates and cutlery have been banned already.And although other grocery delivery startups have been coming under pressure from the French government and local authorities over the disruption caused by dark stores in city centres, Poiret says La Tourn\xe9e has a very different relationship with authorities.In each city we launch we are welcomed with open arms by the mayor.