Episode 4 | Digifood: Choosing the Next Stage of Growth
Digifood is a Paris-based software company that builds point-of-sale systems for food and drink operators at high-traffic venues, including stadiums, arenas, concert halls, festivals and theme parks. Founded in 2014, it has worked with clients including the Paris 2024 Olympics, UEFA, the French Tennis Federation, Ligue 1 football clubs and Puy du Fou. Digifood has been part of Everfield since February 2025.
In episode 4 of CEO Stories, co-founder and CEO Ronald Gautruche talks about how Digifood became the business it is today, why another funding round initially looked like the obvious next step, and why the founders ultimately chose a different route.
From event ordering to venue POS
Digifood started with a simple idea: let fans order food from their seats. The company raised investment and grew around that model. When COVID shut the venues it served, the team used what it had learned about the sector to build its own point-of-sale system.
That changed the business substantially. Digifood restarted with a new product and a small base of customers who had stayed with the company, then returned to growth.
Today, its software covers tills, self-service ordering, kitchen screens and online ordering for large venues in France and beyond.
Building the structure to grow internationally
Once growth had returned, Digifood faced a different question.
Demand was strong, the business was growing and the product was established. The next challenge was how to build enough structure around the company to expand further outside France.
"We'd reached the end of one cycle and the start of a new one, where we really needed to structure the company to grow internationally."
The founders first looked at raising more capital. Digifood had raised before, and another funding round was the familiar route for a growing software company.
But as the conversations progressed, Ronald and his co-founders decided it was not the right fit for what they wanted next.
Raising funds or finding a long-term growth partner
Fundraising was not the only option on the table. Digifood had also been approached by other companies, including international businesses interested in the French and European market.
Everfield entered the conversation during that period. Digifood had spent years building a product it believed in, and the founders wanted support for the next stage of international growth. They chose to join Everfield, a long-term owner of European software companies.
The company had already solved one problem by changing the product. Its next decision was about what needed to exist around that product to take it further.
Growing a French POS company across Europe
International growth was the priority for the next stage. Being part of a European software group gave Digifood peers and partners to learn from in markets such as Germany and Spain.
Watch the full conversation below to hear Ronald explain how Digifood approached that decision.
