Depop alumni founded food and drink platform DELLI nabs $6m in funding led by Balderton and HV Capital

DELLI, an online platform for independent food and drink founded by Depop alumni Marie Petrovicka and Simon Beckerman, has announced a $6 million seed extension fronted by Balderton and HV Capital.

Petrovicka says: “We see a mega trend in the way food is consumed. Buyers are stepping away from overprocessed, mass produced food to small batch, independently made products. They want to discover new food with a story behind it.”

“With DELLI, we are excited to continue giving space to these makers and building a platform that will give buyers easy access to the new generation of unique and independent sellers, making shopping for food inspiring and fun.”

“On the seller side, we are developing tools that allow the small batch producers to start and grow their business and connect with buyers in an easy way, helping overcome some of the big roadblocks they face in the current system dominated by supermarkets. We can’t wait to bring more real food to more people all across the UK.”

The idea behind DELLI is based on the belief that "food is the new fashion”.

Food has surpassed fashion in popularity on social media. Fashion brands are taking note, and looking at this space more than ever - with collaborations such as Off White with Evian, Supreme with Barbera Oil, and Momo Kombucha with Ganni.

DELLI says it is leveraging strategies such as exclusive drops and influencer collaborations to reinvent the way food is sold. In the past months, it has partnered with the likes of Ravneet Gill, Ben Lippett, Jackson Boxer, James Cochrane, and Sam Grainger.

Focusing on curation, it aims to allow buyers to discover and buy food from independent food makers in an inspiring way, delivering products that used to be available only locally all across the UK.

DELLI is bringing the best local independent makers to buyers all across the UK. It has been focusing on bringing the best small batch producers from London to their national fans.

The company is now doubling down on expanding its maker base regionally too, working on local partnerships in key cities: for example, Manchester’s cult bakery, Pollen, recently launched their croissant butter for the first time exclusively on DELLI, selling out twice in less than a week.

Further regional partnerships are underway in cities such as Bristol, Edinburgh and Birmingham.

The funding will be used to expand DELLI’s offering and introduce more convenient delivery options for the buyers. It will also launch more exclusive drops and collaborations that connect food with fashion and music.

The key work on the seller side will be to build tools so that more independent food and drink sellers can start and grow their businesses on DELLI, following in the footsteps of some of the most successful sellers, such as Mama Yu, Dudu Eats or Christina Sots, who have launched and scaled their businesses on the platform.

Daniel Waterhouse, General Partner at Balderton Capital, says: "Since stepping into the CEO role, Marie has taken DELLI's growth to the next level, and the momentum is remarkable. Doubling down on our investment was a no-brainer, and I'm excited for what's to come.”

“DELLI has been one step ahead of shifting consumer behaviours around food and drink, and as more and more people opt for quality, independent craftsmanship over mass-produced and ultra-processed products, I have no doubt DELLI's growth will continue to soar."

Beckerman says: “I’m excited to support the growing community of creative food makers who are reshaping the way we experience food.”

“DELLI is here to give these independent producers a platform to share their passion and story, making it easier for buyers to discover and enjoy unique, small-batch products that truly stand out.”

2024 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS

Startups are a key focus area for the sixth edition of the RTIH Innovation Awards, which is now open for entries.

The awards, sponsored by CADS, 3D Cloud, Retail Technology Show 2025, and Business France, celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.

It’s free to enter and you can do so across multiple categories.

Key 2024 dates

Friday, 25th October: Award entry deadline 

Tuesday, 29th October: 2024 shortlist revealed

30th October-6th November: Judging days

Thursday, 21st November: Winners announced at the 2024 RTIH Innovation Awards ceremony, to be held at RIBA’s 66 Portland Place HQ in Central London.