For its platform introducing digital technology to the out-of-home food service supply chain, Italian startup Quisto raised €800,000. The startup now has plans to broaden its network and advance the technology.
The goal of B2B company Quisto is to improve the sustainability and efficiency of the food service and retail supply chains. The young business, which has its headquarters in Milan, has created a platform that strengthens ties between food producers, wholesalers, and retailers who provide food services.
Quisto has now raised €800k in a pre-seed round to grow. StartupGym, a significant Italian family office in the food business, and several angel investors supported the funding.
Co-founder of Quisto Pietro Bini Smaghi says, “Our objective is to alter the purchasing behavior of restaurateurs and merchants. Making the buyer’s experience frictionless and interactive while cutting expenses and providing more value will be the true accomplishment.
Quisto, a company founded in 2022 by Stefano Raffaglio and Pietro Bini Smaghi, modernizes the Ho.Re.Ca. (Hotellerie-Restaurant-Café) market to make supply networks more effective and sustainable.
A more effective digital platform, specifically designed for food retailers, is available to facilitate their orders. This platform provides easy access to bars, eateries, and shops.
. The service offers access to a broad range of products and is available around the clock. The platform’s integrations with current sales networks also enable users to scale business operations and enhance client relationships.
“The retailer looks for the price but wants the service, the variety, and the courtesy,” says Stefano Raffaglio, co-founder of Quisto. “By providing assistance, the agent can become both a brand ambassador and a sales consultant at the point of sale. The dealer must evolve the business by making it more efficient and data-driven.”
Related Content: Bard AI, Google’s latest AI chatbot rival
Since its launch, the Italian inventors have registered over 2,000 purchases. Merchants can browse a catalog of more than 5,000 items through the platform.
With this most recent financing, the food service supply chain platform Quisto intends to increase its customer base. Additionally, it plans to broaden the services it provides to different supply chain operators and enhance the effectiveness of its go-to-market strategy.
“At StartupGym, we have developed a strong investment thesis on the out-of-home distribution market, which we estimate to be worth 17 billion in Italy alone and 180 billion in Europe,” says Giuseppe Balzano, a partner at the company. “The market is dominated by tax evasion and cash deals. Moreover, the supply chain hasn’t seen any technological innovation, and the logistics aren’t well-optimized, harming the environment and urban areas. We think there is space for disruption and the development of an original, sustainable model.”
