Many people have speculated over the years: What is the secret to HelloFresh’s success? There is a wide range of contributing factors, such as our innovative supply chain model and our strategy to personalize the meal kit experience. But in our opinion, one of the biggest and most important factors is the HelloFresh DNA. Introduced by our founders Dominik Richter and Thomas Griesel early on in the company’s history, the HelloFresh DNA is a collection of values and goals that we as a company and all of our employees follow. It has proven to be successful and has enabled a 10 year long growth path. While the HelloFresh DNA consists of many elements, three of them can be showcased as easy-to-recognize relevant differentiators for HelloFresh’s success.

“Stop wishing. Start doing.” Not a part of our DNA, but still very much the HelloFresh spirit” - seen on the walls of our new headquarters Fresh Campus.

Data-drivenness helps us make the right decisions

HelloFresh is a data-driven company - data is our vehicle to learn and to make decisions based on facts rather than gut-feeling. This enables us to execute our plans and make better business decisions. For example, when we think about launching HelloFresh in a new market, we have implemented a  data-based approach that allows us to analyze a number of different success factors that are pivotal to launching in a new country. This strategy has allowed us to successfully launch in 16 different markets as of November 2021.

Data is also important for every part of the production process and customer journey. Each of our teams relies on different sources of data -  from recipe development (where we collect millions of data-points to help us match our customers’ taste) to marketing to supply chain management and delivery. To facilitate growth, offer customers more personalisation opportunities and to drive efficiency and optimization, we will more than double our tech team until the end of 2022, investing €50 million in hiring 1,000 new employees globally.

Our tech team has been growing rapidly - and will more than double until the end of 2022.

HelloTech, as well as all other teams across the company, have a clear KPI focus and we set ourselves distinct measurable goals that are regularly reviewed and challenged.

We strongly believe in “What you measure, is what you get”, which is why our decisions are based on research, projection, testing and implementation. Consistently tracking KPIs & data allows us to move fast, spot trends and react to them early. We have fostered to let data guide our decision-making which includes a deeply ingrained experimentation culture.

Our team work is nurtured by an egoless environment

We operate in an egoless environment, where we want every team member to speak up and challenge the status quo. Colleagues following a managerial career path are encouraged to listen, to delegate and to trust. Their success is not defined by span of direct reports or team size but rather by reaching their team’s or department’s KPIs. By committing to jointly implement the best ideas - no matter who suggested them - both the company and our employees benefit. That’s why we are encouraging our employees to show diversity of thought and why we praise unique contributions. We also practice an open and constructive feedback-culture in which we frequently provide feedback  and receive it in an open, non-defensive way. 

Being a fairly young company on an accelerated growth path, HelloFresh has always - and will keep on - embracing organizational change. We support our employees in finding the courage to leave their current position and excel in new career paths. Oftentimes the personal fit to the company and the “HelloFresh”-mindset are much more impactful than any previous experience in a specific field of work. For example, our Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at HelloFresh US, Kasia Feng, started on the Special Operations Team, working on product development, building out procurement and supply chains, and leading demand forecasting among many other tasks. After a year with the company, she was asked if she would be interested in building out the DE&I function. “And clearly I jumped at the opportunity,” says Kasia. Switching departments has been a clear win for both Kasia and the company, because she gets to use her invaluable skill set and experience to help HelloFresh excel in an additional field.

Our new office features reminders on the HelloFresh DNA in the hallways - which is especially important for all of the new joiners who come to the office for the very first time.

Learning never stops: Learning and growing go hand in hand

At HelloFresh we want to grow - as a company but also individually as people. That is why we value those with a mindset that learning never stops, who always seek to improve and those around them, on both small and large scales. Our employee’s self-motivation and proactivity to drive their career progression does not only benefit themselves, it also benefits the company which can rely on highly motivated and highly skilled employees at all times.

That’s why we actively encourage everybody at HelloFresh to network inside and outside the company to become deep domain experts in their field, that’s why we provide leadership training and why we establish knowledge centers. We provide employees with an annual 1,000€ budget to take classes, participate in workshops or buy books to further foster their  development. 

We also offer each employee the possibility to design a personal development path together with their line manager. 

HelloFresh understands that careers are for the making, not the taking. If you are interested in following your own career at HelloFresh, have a look at our open positions here.