According to RetailDetail, the Czech online supermarket Rohlik manages to combine serious growth investments with achieving profitability. As sales increased by 25% last year (to 700 million euros), expansion is already profitable in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and the Munich region.

Service and Automation

Last year, the pure player received 11.5 million orders, placed by over 800,000 customers in five European countries (Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, and Romania). In each market, Rohlik is approaching profitability, says founder and CEO Tomáš Čupr.

The company was already profitable in the Czech Republic and Hungary, and a year after its launch, it is now profitable in Munich, the first German city where the online supermarket was launched (under the name Knuspr.de). The retailer is also active in Berlin, with plans for further expansion in the country.

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 "relentless focus" on customer service with advanced automation and its own technological platform, based on artificial intelligence, which allows it to predict orders and optimize routes. Rohlik delivers a wide range of groceries often within 15 minutes: 97% of deliveries are on time.

Growth Potential

"Many people have doubted the long-term potential of online shopping, but we've always believed that you can build a strong business based on exceptional customer service," said Čupr.

Rohlik refers to a McKinsey study estimating that online food could reach a share of up to 30% in certain countries by 2030. Currently, online food penetration in most of Europe is less than 10%.

The sector has failed to maintain its growth pace during the pandemic: many customers have returned to physical stores as online players struggle with delivery times and offer only a limited range, often at high prices. (Photo: Freepik)