More local pizzerias will now have access to important digital tools to promote their businesses as a result of a $43 million Series C funding round by Slice for it to expand the use of its all-in-one marketing tech platform. Global investment firm KKR was the lead, further committing to their goals of building a portfolio of world class entrepreneurs and management teams.
The small business focused platform provides pizzerias with end-to-end services including websites, marketing, online ordering, and payments giving a comparable digital experience that competitors such as large pizza chains and food delivery apps offer.
“Being able to drive business online is now essential to the success of local restaurants and this new funding will allow us to continue improving Slice’s platform to empower more independent pizza shops around the world,” said Ilir Sela, founder and CEO of Slice.
In addition to the platform features and functionality, the Slice app has nearly five million customers who are on the lookout for great local pizza. This has been driven in part by COVID-19 which surged the demand for local pickup and delivery, timely putting Slice’s digital services right in the mix of providing local service. Bolstered by new capital, Slice is scaling its platform of services to quickly move past the 12,000 pizzerias across all 50 states it now powers.
“Along the lines of what highly impactful companies like Square, Wix and Shopify have done for SMB’s, Slice is building the next great SMBTech platform for independent merchants in the pizza industry,” said Jeff Richards, managing partner at GGV Capital and Slice board member.
Allan Jean-Baptiste, Principal at KKR explains the strategic value Slice offers, stating, “Slice charges small business owners a fraction of the fees charged by food delivery apps and offers a suite of vertical specific solutions to solve the challenges faced by independent pizza makers.”
Slice has been an active participant in raising funds for those leading the fight against COVID-19 through its Pizza vs Pandemic initiative. Slice in partnership with Slice Out Hunger and Pizza to the Polls, coordinated large orders from local pizzerias to feed an estimated 140,000 healthcare workers, raising over $470,000 while supporting over 700 pizzerias.
KKR’s investment in Slice comes primarily from KKR Next Generation Technology Growth Fund II that added to the participation of existing early investors that included GGV Capital.
