In restoration as in the entire foodtech, the equation has changed. While the cost of customer acquisition continues to increase, profitability is no longer based on the conquest at all costs but on the ability to retain. For independent cafes, restaurants and bakeries, long without efficient digital tools, this rocking opens a strategic space that certain actors want to occupy.
Embgo positioned itself on this niche by developing a Plug-And-Play platform which combines CRM, digital loyalty portfolio and online control solutions. Restaurateurs can follow their sales there, analyze their customer data and deploy targeted marketing campaigns, without having expensive infrastructure. The objective is to make technologies accessible to SMEs that McDonald’s, Starbucks or KFC are accessing on a large scale to maintain their market share.
By operating the data generated by nearly 13 million transactions and digital stamps already treated, Embgo helps its 3,000 partner establishments to increase the recurrence of visits, to stimulate the average basket and to improve visibility on the performance of their campaigns.
In France, the digitalization of the self -employed is progressing but remains fragmented. Actors like Zenchef, Omypay or Basilyk have imposed themselves with reservation, loyalty or customer engagement solutions. The European market, dominated by platforms from the United Kingdom, Germany or Nordic countries, remains very competitive, but widely open for solutions targeting SMEs. Embargo is part of this dynamic with a strong growth presence in the United Kingdom and Poland, and an establishment already started in a dozen countries.
In the United States, solutions like Toast or Spoton capture an increasing part of the market with full management and CRM offers.
Founded in London by Frederick Szydlowski and Tsewang Wangkang, embargo raised 3 million euros from Paul Statham (founder of Condoco), Christo Georgiev (founder of MyPos), Hampton Finance (sectoral fund of the Chantler family, founder of Meadow Foods), Stephen Zinser, Carl Christian Reiner Oh Polly and its founder Mike Branney. Funding must support the development of AI engine, strengthen B2B commercial efforts and prepare international expansion beyond its two main markets, the United Kingdom and Poland.
