PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024

Startup Satisfies Enterprise’s Hunger For Catering

When EzCater CEO Stefania Mallett launched a software startup that helped executives in the pharmaceutical sector strike meetings with doctors, it turns out the biggest demand – aside from booking the actual meeting – was to have food at their gatherings.

“I kept hearing from them, ‘Make the food appear. You got me a lunch meeting, make the food appear now,’” Mallett recently told Fortune. That’s why the innovator launched EzCater in the first place – to connect businesses with catering for meetings, events, offices and the like.

The publication announced Tuesday (Oct. 6) that EzCater has just secured $28 million in fresh funding from venture capitalists, bringing the total raised to $35 million. Insight Venture Partners fueled the Series C round, according to reports.

While EzCater has been around for several years, the company has only recently begun seeking out VC support thanks to Mallett’s decision to expand across the nation. Reports said the company already has 40,000 restaurants and caterers connected to its platform.

“It’s a big country and so having more money allows us to deepen that national network,” Mallett told Fortune following the investment round. But reports said the founder was mum on exact financial figures for the company.

[bctt tweet=”‘It’s a big country and so having more money allows us to deepen that national network'”]

But the firm did say that it plans to separate itself from the ever-increasing population of food delivery startups through its nationwide capacity, providing businesses the ability to order catering when they travel – one of the most common times when on-demand food delivery is necessary, Mallett said.

Insight Venture Partners Managing Director Jeff Lieberman told the publication that the backing is a result of these pan-U.S. goals. “A lot of these guys go city by city,” he said. “We’re going after people that have needs across geographies.”

According to reports, EzCater has served 6 million people so far.

To check out what else is HOT in B2B, click here.

PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024