The online supermarket Sezamo announced that in January, it signed a partnership with City Grill, one of the most important players in Romania’s hospitality industry, to offer its customers ready-to-eat products as convenient, chef-created options with no compromise on quality. As a result, dishes previously available only in restaurants can now be ordered alongside weekly groceries in the same order.
Currently, Sezamo’s selection includes 24 ready-to-eat products crafted by chefs Dragoș Bercea and Dan Tonescu, already available for order, with the category expected to expand by the end of the year. The ready-to-eat products developed by City Grill Group’s chefs include both Romanian and international main courses, as well as childhood desserts such as biscuit cake, Cremșnit, and apple pie—favorites from City Grill Group restaurants like Hanu’ Berarilor, Pescăruș, City Grill, and Buongiorno Italian.
“The partnership with City Grill is a perfect combination of Sezamo’s online grocery shopping experience and the undeniable quality of City Grill’s prepared dishes. This initiative aligns with current market trends, where consumers are looking for high-quality, convenient solutions for ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals. Our customers have shown interest in exploring more options in this direction, so, in addition to great fresh products, we are bringing the restaurant experience straight to their homes,” said Michael Kaiser, Sezamo’s commercial director.
“We are delighted with this partnership with Sezamo, a leader in transforming the online grocery shopping experience. The collaboration perfectly aligns with market trends, as consumers increasingly seek high-quality, convenient ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook solutions. These products, created for retail and available on Sezamo, maintain the same quality as those served in our restaurants. We see instant success across all channels where they are listed because there is no difference in taste or preparation method—everything is cooked in City Grill Group’s central kitchen using the same high-quality ingredients and raw materials. We look forward to building on this momentum and achieving great success alongside Sezamo, a brand that shares our values of quality and an impeccable customer experience,” said Mihaela Boșneag, Operations Director at City Grill Platform.
Just ten days after launching the collaboration, customers have already found their favorites. The most popular dishes include Tikka Masala with Basmati rice, Hummus with minced beef and roasted peppers, and assorted mini pastries.
Convenience is a key factor influencing consumer purchasing behavior. At Sezamo, nearly 4 in 10 shopping baskets include ready-to-eat (RTE) or ready-to-cook (RTC) products—a growing trend among families, young professionals, and eco-conscious consumers.
In addition to its partnership with City Grill, Sezamo continues to innovate by expanding its portfolio. Among the recently added brands is Dozz, which offers innovative soups that can be consumed directly from the can—a quick and practical solution for customers on the go. Another new brand, this time in the ready-to-cook category, is Cookit, which provides gourmet-tasting quick recipes in the form of meal kits.
