Lollipop AI Launches Grocery Marketplace

Lollipop AI, the new British online grocery marketplace, is launching its public beta version today. It was created by a serial UK entrepreneur who was there at the start of successful UK startups Osper, Monzo, and Curve. Tom Foster-Carter, Founder and CEO have envisaged a platform allowing people to build meal plans from recipes, assembling the ingredients automatically into their shopping baskets, and suggesting remaining household essentials.

The founder says the Lollipop could well help with health goals, improve culinary skills and minimize food waste. Built as a marketplace, it will be partnering with Sainsbury’s and BBC Good Food with more partners, and fulfillment will be completed by retail partners. The business model will be taking a small commission from retail partners, allowing selected advertising, e.g. from CPG brand owners. The site will be free to use, while a premium tier is planned. The first 10K beta testers to sign up to the waitlist will be offered access to premium features for life, says the startup, which will offer prices at the same rate as normal supermarkets.

Foster-Carter, who had the idea after having a baby and realizing he was spending hours trying to use a normal supermarket, says the approach will save several hours a week for the average household. Lollipop AI claims 80% of households spend over an hour a week meal planning and online grocery shopping. The founding team includes former employees of Monzo, Farmdrop, Amazon, Sainsbury’s, and HelloFresh, such as co-founders Chris Parsons and Ib Warnerbring.

In particular, the site is likely to appeal to people looking to lose weight, as meal planning would be simpler and may even have an impact on recipe-box startups. Foster-Carter said that it is a marketplace so they could partner with traditional supermarkets and online retailers direct to farm / organic,mission-led single component recipe boxes; and rapid delivery.