Embargo is the UK’s leading loyalty platform for hospitality businesses, founded by an ex-investor banker Tsewang Wangkang (JP Morgan and UBS) and ex-Head of Marketing of several London hot spots Frederick Szydlowski (The Cuckoo Club, Tonteria etc). Freddie is also a key member of the Hospitality Titan’s Founders Board.
The platform is already being used by hundreds of venues across the UK providing them with a plug&play digital loyalty card and CRM system. It takes 1 day to launch and there is no system integration needed. During the COVID19 pandemic, contactless solutions have become a must-have and driving repeat business from local customers the only way to thrive for hospitality operators. Embargo added over 200+ new venues in the recent months, including well-known London brands like Notes Coffee, The Gentlemen Baristas, Chucs Restaurants, Queens of Mayfair, Floozie Cookies or Thunderbird Friend Chicken.
Embargo has recently announced Loui Blake, serial entrepreneur, as an investor in the current EIS funding round. Loui will also join the startup as an advisor alongside the Nick Telson (founder of DesignMyNight). With a number of hospitality ventures and alternative protein investments under his belt, Blake has elected to diversify his portfolio and backed Embargo in its latest fundraising round.
“After using Embargo across our sites and speaking to fellow operators about the impact on their businesses, it was a no-brainer. When I spoke to the guys I was incredibly impressed by their vision and I look forward to supporting the team with their future plans. The demand for systems like Embargo is only going to increase as we enter a new age for hospitality and I’m excited to be part of the business.” – Loui Blake
Online Ordering added to Embargo App
Embargo is also launching an on-demand delivery, click&collect and nationwide shipping service. This will be built within the app, based on customer feedback from venue owners who are looking for alternative solutions with friendlier commissions.
The food-delivery market (over £7bn estimated for the UK in 2020) is strongly growing and will not slow down anytime soon. Embargo will become the first digital loyalty card as well as CRM system covering every customer journey – from walk-ins, click&collect to delivery – both on-demand and pre-booked.
How does it work?
Users simply order from their chosen, participating venue and sit back and relax as someone from Embargo’s integrated fleet of UK-wide drivers delivers their order to their door.
Embargo take just a 10% commission fee from the venue, whilst hugely increasing their customer reach.
“The launch of online ordering linked to every venue’s loyalty card and CRM on Embargo has been a natural product development for us. Venues want to be able to drive loyalty across all possible customer journeys and be able to stay in touch with them without having to pay high commissions. There is a big demand for online ordering solutions providing a different value proposition.” – comments Tsewang Wangkang, CEO of Embargo.
Embargo’s plan for 2021 is to accelerate the UK expansion with the roll-out of the new features in the coming weeks. Their current EIS funding round is focused to fuel their growth and further develop the platform.
“We’re excited to see the growing demand for our product across the UK. With a small team we have already managed to launch several cities and towns in the UK as well as in other countries based on reverse enquiries. It’s key for us to add the right investors who can help us grow and support our vision.” Adds Frederick Szydlowski, CMO and co-founder of Embargo.
The tech-startup already boasts of an impressive list of shareholders and serial Angel investors, including restauranteurs and venue operators, Managing Directors of major international banks or tech-entrepreneurs like Nick Telson founder of DesignMyNight.
