“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated,” Mark Twain is often misquoted as saying. This would arguably better apply to La Belle Vie: The French grocery delivery startup recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, despite being often described as on the brink of death.
“Every six months, people told us we wouldn’t survive,” its co-founder Paul Lê told Selected podcast host and Sesamers CEO Ben Costantini. This wasn’t completely unfounded: It initially faced competition from giants like Carrefour and Monoprix; and later on, from quick commerce players that spent money as if there was no tomorrow. Yet, the company defied the odds.
Fast forward to today, and La Belle Vie is a €100 million business with 600 employees. Using AI and robotics for warehouses and fleet management, in particular, suggest an exciting future ahead, with higher margins. “And still, some experts say we cannot last more,” Paul said with a smile.
Just because Paul can now laugh it off doesn’t mean it’s an easy journey; many competitors died along the way, and Frichti was under receivership before La Belle Vie acquired it in 2023.
A tale of perseverance
The company itself had its ups and downs, but that’s precisely what makes this interview so relevant. “We were really close to shut the business in 2017, because we ran out of cash” Paul said. But the team also saw demand was growing, with more clients spending more money on the platform and loving it. Eventually, La Belle Vie raised more money. “It was hard at the beginning, but we did it.”
Recorded during SIAL Paris 2024, Paul’s chat with Ben also touched on topics close to his heart such as sustainability, diversity, and lessons he can share with other entrepreneurs. His advice: “Find your first 10 real customers—not friends or family—and make them repeat buyers.” Watch the full conversation:
