These gourmet online shops have survived the e-food hype
In 2020 we recommended three gourmet online shops that promised to elevate home cooking. Six years later, we’re taking stock: who’s still standing, who’s grown, and what became of the great delivery-service promise?
In February 2020 we spotlighted three gourmet online shops that aimed to take home cooking to the next level: EinStückLand for ethically sourced meat, BOS FOOD for gourmet rarities, and okäse for handcrafted cheeses. The short answer: all three are still around in 2026-and that’s far from a given. Around them, the online grocery sector has ridden a rollercoaster, with many loudly launched players vanishing again.
- EinStückLand, BOS FOOD and okäse remain active nationwide in 2026.
- BOS FOOD has grown from a 1990 garage start-up to Germany’s leading delicatessen retailer with roughly 170 employees; founder Ralf Bos stepped down from management in early 2025.
- Germany’s online grocery market reached about €4.1 billion in revenue in 2025, yet still holds only a 4.3 percent share.
- The quick-commerce hype has burst: Gorillas and Getir have exited Germany; only Flink, backed by Rewe, remains of the big names.
- Specialised gourmet shops with clear provenance are faring better than broad quick-delivery services built purely on convenience.
What we wrote in 2020: Online retail really took off with book mail-order services. By now, most people buy almost everything on the web, from clothes to toothpaste. Yet groceries remained the one category few ordered online. Start-ups and foodies wanted to change that, and we showed you three shops worth knowing. Six years later, the more interesting question isn’t which new shops have appeared-it’s which of the old ones are still standing.
Meat from happy animals, still
For the two founders of EinStückLand, it was clear even then: meat is something special, and it should be treated as such. Better less often, but better quality. The two Northerners ship specialty products from small farms in Schleswig-Holstein, from Galloway cattle to boxes that let you discover different cuts of the animal. This promise-prioritizing origin and animal welfare over mass production-has proven to be sustainable. The shop continues to deliver nationwide in chilled packaging in 2026 and has expanded its range to include Angus, Welsh Black, and pork from the Bunte Bentheimer Land pig breed. If you value quality over quantity, you’ll find exactly what makes the difference here, whether for Sunday dinner or for your ambitions in your own Michelin-starred kitchen.
BOS FOOD: From wild rice to an empire of delicacies
At BOS FOOD, gourmets get exactly what they crave. Caviar, truffles, oysters, foie gras, champagne: whatever fine dining requires is in stock here. The story behind it is impressive. Ralf Bos started in 1990 with a single product-wild rice-and one employee. Today, it’s Germany’s leading gourmet food supplier with around 170 employees, serving about 20,000 customers in trade and top gastronomy, plus over 11,000 private foodies. For many Michelin-starred restaurants across Europe, the Meerbusch-based company is one of the most important suppliers. In 2025, founder Ralf Bos handed over operational management to the next generation, but the business continues. So if you’re about to give up on a dish because you can’t source an ingredient locally, take a look at BOS FOOD. They’ve got almost everything.
What began in 1990 in a garage with a single sack of wild rice now supplies Europe’s most important Michelin-starred restaurants. This is what an online shop looks like that has stood the test of hype.
Sustainable, artisanal, alive
At okäse, you’ll find cheese specialties from all over Europe-many made from raw milk by farm and village dairies, monasteries, and alpine pastures. The best part? It’s all thoughtfully sustainable. The cheese arrives in recyclable packaging, and the included cooling packs are reusable. Each package also includes tasting guides so you can develop your palate step by step and become your own cheese sommelier. okäse continues to deliver in 2026, now from Haren on the Ems, with shipping within two to three business days. That this conscious, slightly slower approach has endured says it all: the fastest shop doesn’t win, but the one with the clearest vision does.
What became of the great delivery promise
For anyone who didn’t want anything special-just a way to skip the supermarket trip-2020 seemed to herald the future: Rewe and Edeka expanded their own online shops, and shortly after, rapid-delivery services like Gorillas, Flink, and Getir promised groceries at your door in ten minutes. That turned out to be an expensive lesson. Gorillas was swallowed by Getir, and Getir exited the German market in 2024. Of the big names, only Flink remains-part-owned by Rewe-and even there, the workforce shrank from about 21,000 to roughly 13,000. Industry experts estimate that grocery delivery in Germany accounts for no more than 5 to 10 percent of total grocery spending, because most people still prefer to shop in-store. The entire online grocery turnover in 2025 was around €4.1 billion, a mere 4.3 percent market share. If you’re after freshness and seasonality, regional veggie boxes from nearby farms are often the better choice, as the produce is not only fresher but truly seasonal. For more inspiration on mindful eating, check out our roundup of street food around the world.
The real takeaway after six years? The loudest players, those fixated on pure speed and volume, have vanished or shrunk. What remains are the specialists with a clear commitment to origin, craftsmanship, and quality. Exactly the three shops we recommended to you in 2020. Sometimes the best online purchase isn’t the fastest-it’s the one with the best story on your plate.
Good to Know
▸Will EinStückLand, BOS FOOD and okäse still be around in 2026?
Yes, all three shops remain active and deliver nationwide. EinStückLand ships meat from Schleswig-Holstein, BOS FOOD offers the full range of delicacies, and okäse provides artisanal raw-milk cheese.
▸How big is BOS FOOD today?
Starting with a single product in 1990, BOS FOOD has grown into Germany’s leading delicatessen retailer with around 170 employees. It serves roughly 20,000 business customers in retail and hospitality plus more than 11,000 private gourmets. Founder Ralf Bos stepped down from management at the beginning of 2025.
▸Why did the rapid-delivery services fail?
Gorillas, Getir and others bet on minute-by-minute delivery but found too few paying customers at unsustainable costs. Getir exited Germany in 2024; among the major players only Flink-backed by Rewe-remains, though it has also cut jobs.
▸Is it even worth buying groceries online?
For the weekly shop, most people still prefer the store-online’s share is only about 4.3 percent. For special finds, however, it pays off: rare delicacies you can’t get locally are delivered straight to your door from specialist shops with transparent origins.
