In Europe, fruits and vegetable rays represent one of the technological dead angles in large distribution. Despite their strategic weight in the attractiveness of stores and their direct impact on margins, Ultra-fresh products orders are still often managed in intuitionby radius chiefs, or via unsuitable generic tools. A situation that contributes to waste of more than 4.5 million tonnes of fresh products each yearor 5 % of total food waste.
It is on this gray area that attacks Freshflowyoung Berlin shoot founded in 2021, which has just raised 6.5 million euros To extend its solution toArtificial intelligence dedicated to fresh products in European supermarkets.
An AI designed for costs, not for the rest
Unlike general forecast software, Freshflow technology integrates the specifics of ultra-perishable products : very short lifespan, fine seasonality, multiple local suppliers, checkout errors, temperature variations … thanks to a probabilistic AI engine, the platform Automation daily order decisionsadapting to the real data of the store.
Already deployed at Carrefour, Edeka, Intermarché And L. StroetmannFreshflow announces 93 % acceptance of its recommendations by teams on the shelvesa average reduction of 20 % of wasteAnd 2 to 5 % increase in turnover On the shelves concerned.
“We have radically improved our processes on the fresh. More rotations, less waste, more freshness,” explains Bastien GelinCEO of the Yabe group, Carrefour franchisee, Freshflow user for nine months.
An even rare positioning in France
Freshflow’s positioning is still little covered in France. Several French startups work on food waste, but with a different approach:
- Smartway (ex-Zero-Gâchis) target there Invendus management At the end of life, by automating the markdown and revaluation of products close to expiration.
- PhoenixFrench Foodtech startup, acts on thedownstream of waste By organizing donations or sales at reduced unsold prices.
- Vekia And Lokad offer solutions IA forecast for supply chainbut are primarily intended for warehouses or e-commerce, without specific targeting of the fresh radius in store.
Freshflow therefore occupies a strategic nichebetween ecological impact, operational productivity, and net margins.
Freshflow raised 6.5 million euros in May 2025 during a round co-led by World Fund, Capnamic and Venture Starswith the participation of Caesar Ventures. This turn carries the Total financing at 8.7 million euros Since its creation in 2021 by Avik MukhijaMachine engineer. The startup is currently counting 24 employeesaims 50 by the end of 2026and plans to open new categories (meat, milk, bakery) while launching features for warehouse orders management. Freshflow is located at Berlin and Paris.
