Czech online supermarket Rohlik manages to combine investing in serious growth with achieving profitability. As sales grew by 25 % last year (to 700 million euros), the scale-up is already profitable in Czechia, Hungary and the region around Munich.
Service and automation
Last year, the pure player received 11.5 million orders, placed by over 800,000 customers in five European countries (Austria, Czechia, Germany, Hungary and Romania). In each market, Rohlik is approaching break-even, founder and CEO Tomáš Čupr says. The company was already profitable in Czechia and Hungary, and a year after its launch it is now also profitable in Munich, the first German city where the online supermarket launched (under the name Knuspr.de). The retailer is also active in Berlin, further expansion in the country will follow.
Rohlik boasts a compound annual growth rate of 76 % between 2015 and 2023. According to the CEO, its success is due to the combination of a “relentless focus” on customer service with advanced automation and a proprietary AI-driven technology platform, which allows it to predict orders and optimise routes. Rohlik delivers a wide supermarket range often within 15 minutes: 97 % of deliveries are on time.
Growth potential
“Many people have questioned the long-term potential of online shopping, but we have always believed that you can build a strong business based on exceptional customer service”, Čupr said.
Rohlik refers to a McKinsey study that estimates that online groceries could reach a share of up to 30 % in certain countries by 2030. Today, the penetration of food online in most of Europe is less than 10 %. The sector has not been able to maintain the growth rate of during the pandemic: many customers have returned to physical shops as online players struggle with delivery times and offer only a limited range – often at high prices.
