Le Pain Quotidien e-comm

Rapid e-commerce to turn pandemic shutdowns into sales

TL;DR

Sales went to zero overnight due to lack of functioning e-commerce when covid hit.
Proprietary e-commerce launched in just 5 weeks for 40 stores in Belgium and France.
Piloted and iterated, winning back sales in a crowded online market.
Immediate bounce-back in sales as soon as stores reopened digitally.

About Le Pain Quotidien

Founded in Belgium in 1990, Le Pain Quotidien is an international bakery-restaurant love brand with 260+ locations in 20 countries, known for quality ingredients, artisanal bread, and communal tables.

Services

Discovery & user research Experience strategy UX & UI design E-commerce development Integration with POS & delivery User testing & optimization

Project

2020

4.76

‍

Customer satisfaction (CSAT) (real-time survey)

40

‍

onboarded stores in Belgium and France

5

‍

weeks from brief to launch

The challenge

Disconnected overnight

When the 2020 pandemic forced Le Pain Quotidien to close its doors, revenue dropped to zero. Without its own digital channel, the bakery was cut off from customers. Delivery apps could have offered a quick band aid, but with third-party costs and limited customer visibility, they weren’t a real solution. How do you get back in business fast - and do it right - when every other food retailer is just a click away?

The Solution

a fully integrated e-commerce platform

With revenue at zero, Le Pain Quotidien needed to act fast. We worked as one team to integrate every order channel (web, mobile, and in-store) directly to the kitchen, using Deliverect to streamline processing. By choosing a flexible, proven platform for click & collect, reusing existing assets, and focusing only on what mattered, we kept complexity low and moved quickly. In just five weeks, Le Pain Quotidien was selling again, in the same, lovable way.

Success drivers

Move fast by building on what works.
Pilot, learn, and scale - don’t bet it all on day one.
Own your channel, own your future.

success driver 1

Move fast by building on what works

When speed was critical, we didn’t start from scratch. We reused existing assets, integrated with current systems, and focused only on what mattered most. This let us launch a tailored, scalable e-commerce platform in just five weeks, proving that the right shortcuts can deliver real business impact under pressure.

Success driver 2

Pilot, learn, and scale - don’t bet it all on day one

Instead of a big-bang launch, we piloted click & collect in a single store, gathered feedback, and iterated daily. This approach surfaced hidden issues early and let us adapt quickly, ensuring a smooth rollout to 40 stores. Fast, continuous value delivery beats waiting for perfection.

Success driver 3

Own your channel, own your future

Third-party delivery apps offered a quick fix, but kept valuable data and margins out of reach. By building their own integrated e-commerce, Le Pain Quotidien gained direct customer insight, stronger loyalty, and control over profitability. Turning digital from a survival tactic into a long-term competitive edge.

success driver 4