The Oberlo veterans taking on Europe's restaurant supply chain raise 20M

"The world Reinis Strodahs had spent two decades navigating as a restaurant supply veteran was, by any measure, a mess. Chefs at fine-dining establishments sourced produce through two or three layers of distributors, each adding markups and opacity. Paper order forms, phone calls, and supplier relationships that passed down generationally rather than through any transparent price discovery mechanism: not so much a supply chain as a series of handshake deals dressed up as logistics."

"Together, the three co-founded Saltz in Vilnius in 2022, a digital marketplace that connects professional kitchens directly with food producers and verified suppliers. The pitch is simple: one platform, one interface, cross-border ordering, transparent pricing, and no middlemen."

"The round was backed by a notably credible set of investors for a Baltic startup at this stage. Institutional participants include the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Warsaw-based CEE venture fund Inovo, and returning seed investors Lifeline Ventures and Change Ventures."

Saltz is a digital marketplace founded in Vilnius in 2022 by brothers Andrius and Tomas Šlimas, along with restaurant supply veteran Reinis Strodahs. The platform connects professional kitchens directly with food producers and verified suppliers, eliminating traditional multi-layer distribution systems. European restaurants historically sourced ingredients through multiple distributors using paper orders and phone calls, creating opacity and unnecessary markups. Saltz offers transparent pricing, cross-border ordering, and a single interface to streamline procurement. The company secured €20M in Series A funding from institutional investors including the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Inovo, Lifeline Ventures, and Change Ventures, plus angel investors from Vinted and Wolt.

Read at TNW | Startups-Technology