Clone

Clone, established in 2021 by co-founders Arthur Martin, Alexandre Severyns, and Baptiste Piasentin, operates as a significant player in the virtual restaurant and food delivery sector across Europe. The company provides a tech-centric solution enabling existing restaurants to increase their revenue streams by operating virtual food brands from their kitchens. This model allows restaurant owners to launch a delivery-only business with minimal friction, requiring no initial investment and a setup time of approximately one week.

The core of Clone's offering is a platform that integrates with major food delivery services like Uber Eats, Deliveroo, and Just Eat. Orders from these platforms are streamlined into a single tablet provided by Clone, simplifying kitchen operations for partner restaurants. The business model is structured as a partnership, where Clone takes a commission of around 30% on the sales generated through its virtual brands, covering the costs of the delivery platforms and its own services. This approach has enabled the company to scale rapidly, partnering with over 2,000 restaurants across France, Belgium, Spain, and other European countries.

Clone develops and manages a portfolio of over 70 distinct virtual brands, such as 'Smash' for burgers and 'Comptoir Libanais' for Lebanese cuisine. The creation and deployment of these brands are data-driven; the company analyzes local market demand and taste preferences to determine which brands are most likely to succeed in a specific geographic area. This strategy ensures that the menu offerings are well-aligned with consumer demand. Beyond the technology and brand portfolio, Clone provides comprehensive support to its restaurant partners, including marketing, business development, and operational guidance to optimize their delivery business.

Financially, Clone has demonstrated substantial growth, securing significant funding to fuel its expansion. The company has raised over €100 million in total. A notable funding round in early 2023, led by Left Lane Capital and other investors, brought in €75 million. This capital is being used to further enhance its technology, expand its network of restaurant partners, and explore new markets. The company's rapid growth trajectory was recognized when it was ranked #14 among the top 500 tech companies to join in France in 2023.

Keywords: virtual restaurants, food delivery, kitchen-as-a-service, dark kitchens, food-tech, restaurant technology, online ordering, delivery platform integration, franchise, food brands