FreshFresh: An Online Fresh Food Supplier as a Lean Startup
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Publication Date:
October 01, 2018
Industry:
Hospitality
Source:
China Europe International Business School
This case study discusses the entrepreneurial story of FreshFresh Trade and Commerce (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“FreshFresh” for short), showing the continuous improvements and innovations it has made to develop a profitable model in the fresh food industry. At the end of 2013, its two founders, Leo (Bin) Shen and Baiyuan Fang, first got the idea of creating an online platform to provide fresh food. Since then, they have constantly tested the business model of FreshFresh. After two years of effort, its model became recognized by users and capital markets. By the end of June 2016, over 700,000 users have registered, and nearly 50% of them have purchased products on its platform at least once. The repeat purchase rate (at least twice) is around 45%. In March 2016, FreshFresh announced that it had raised US$20 million in Series A financing. On June 30, the company won the 2016 Top Digital award, making it the only fresh food e-commerce platform to win a prize at that year’s innovation launch ceremony for China’s telecommunication, media, and technology industries. However, just like 99% of companies in this sector, it has not yet managed to establish a profitable model. In 2015, it suffered losses of around ¥20 million, representing 20% of its operating revenue. After a series of improvements, the company hoped to make a profit in the first half of 2016, and to expand its business to other cities. But when Shen receives the performance report in July 2016, he decides to abandon this plan. He imagines fresh food e-commerce to be like running a marathon, and he wonders how FreshFresh can make a profit and achieve sound development by rationally allocating its strategic resources.
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FreshFresh: An Online Fresh Food Supplier as a Lean Startup
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