Food software startup Olo planning US IPO in 2020: sources

[NEW YORK] Olo, a food-ordering software company where Shake Shack Inc founder Danny Meyer sits on the board, is planning a US initial public offering (IPO) this year, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The New York-based company could seek a valuation of about US$1 billion in an IPO, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. Olo, whose name is derived from "online ordering", interviewed potential advisers around the end of 2019, the people said.

No final decision has been made and its plans could change, the people said.

A representative for Olo couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

Olo's software powers loyalty programmes and allows restaurants to manage orders and set customised menus, according to its website. Olo partnered Uber Technologies Inc in June 2019 to allow consumers to place Uber Eats orders directly into restaurants' systems, according to a press statement.

Other customers include restaurant chains such as Five Guys Holdings Inc, California Pizza Kitchen Inc and The Cheesecake Factory Inc.

Food delivery services have been a focal point of the IPO market for the past year. Postmates Inc said in February that it had filed confidentially to go public. Uber Eats was touted as a key vehicle for growth in Uber's US$8.1 billion listing last May. DoorDash Inc has been considering bypassing an IPO in a direct listing, people familiar with its plans have said. Olo also has partnerships with DoorDash and Postmates.

Olo was founded in 2005 as a text-message food-ordering service. It received a US$40 million investment from the Raine Group in 2016 and US$18 million from Tiger Global Management last year, according to company statements.

The software company announced last year that it was working with Alphabet Inc's Google to enable customers to order directly from restaurants via Google Searches.

Mr Meyer, chief executive officer of Union Square Hospitality Group, joined Olo's board in 2015, according to a statement at the time.

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