French startup La Fourche has taken a contrarian approach to the online grocery market, eschewing the quick-commerce model that has dominated the industry in recent years. Instead, the company has focused on a stock-up model, offering customers a subscription-based service that prioritizes long-shelf-life products and bulk orders. This strategy has paid off, with La Fourche on track to generate €100 million in gross merchandise volume in 2025.

La Fourche's co-founder and CEO, Nathan Labat, attributes the company's success to its unique approach. "We're really clearly identified as a stock-up company," Labat explained, citing three distinct buying patterns: quick refills, weekly planning, and stock-up opportunities. La Fourche's inventory consists mainly of healthy and organic products with a long shelf life, such as olive oil, diapers, cereals, shampoo, and coffee beans.

The company's subscription-based model, inspired by Costco and Thrive Market, creates brand loyalty, increases retention rates, and improves average order value. Customers pay a yearly membership fee of around €60, which grants them free delivery on orders above a certain threshold. This approach has led to a loyal customer base, with 120,000 members ordering an average of €120 worth of products every 45 days.

La Fourche's unit economics are also improving, with the company aiming to achieve its first profitable quarter by the end of 2025. The startup's asset-light model, which relies on a single automated warehouse covering the entire country, has helped reduce costs. Additionally, La Fourche's focus on referrals has kept marketing spending low, at around 5% of revenue.

One of the standout features of La Fourche's model is its ability to serve rural areas, with 46% of its customers residing in the countryside. This sets the company apart from other startups that often focus on urban areas. La Fourche is now expanding its reach to Germany, where it has launched its online organic supermarket under the brand name Ackerherz.

The success of La Fourche's model raises questions about the viability of quick-commerce startups, many of which have struggled to achieve profitability. La Fourche's focus on stock-up deliveries and subscription-based services may offer a more sustainable approach to the online grocery market. As the company continues to grow and expand, it will be interesting to see if its model can be replicated across different countries and regions.

La Fourche's story serves as a reminder that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to e-commerce, and that innovative business models can thrive in a crowded market. As the company looks to the future, its unique approach may inspire other startups to rethink their strategies and focus on building loyal customer bases.