AI-drivenRestaurant PlatformStartups Malou Today announced $10 million in newFinancing, to accelerate growth in France, enhance product functionality and expand internationally, particularly in the United States and the Middle East.
Founded in 2021, Malou offers an AI-based platform designed to enhance a restaurant’s digital presence. The platform provides a range of features to help restaurants improve online buzz, visibility, and customer engagement.
The platform provides a centralized hub that integrates a restaurant’s Google Pages, social media profiles, and ordering platforms. It then uses AI and automation to analyze and generate responses to customer reviews, generate social media posts, and maintain a consistent message to enhance a restaurant’s online presence, SEO, visibility, and social media engagement.
Malou claims that its platform’s integrated approach manages and improves the entire relationship between restaurants and customers, from discovery and conversion to customer satisfaction monitoring and loyalty building. The company also provides personalized support designed to adapt to a restaurant’s needs and stage of development.
Currently, Malou has 2,000 restaurants in 12 countries, including independent restaurants, chain restaurants, famous chefs and high-profile restaurant groups. Among its clients are well-known companies such as Bagatelle Group and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Inc.
Investors in this round include henQ Inc., Bleu Capital Management LP, The Fork founder Bertrand Jelensperger, and Jim Texier, former chief product officer of Lightspeed Management Co. LLC.
"Malou's team was able to translate their deep understanding of restaurant marketing into a 'hyper-verticalized' solution that automatically optimizes every aspect of a restaurant's online presence," said Mick Mackaay, partner at lead investor henQ. "This enables more visitors to be attracted without requiring restaurant owners to become marketing experts. The team further impressed us with their ability to get many restaurants using this solution, a notoriously difficult target group to sell to."