Scaling a WineTech Startup: From MVP to Acquisition by Leclerc

MaCave (formerly known as WineAdvisor) is a French startup in the wine e-commerce industry. We had an existing relationship with the client from earlier projects, which naturally evolved into a long-term partnership.

The startup was growing fast and needed to scale quickly while building digital products that could keep up with the pace of the market. Development was slow, and innovation was difficult to deliver with the existing setup.

Country

France

Timeline

2010s

Industry

Beverages

Goals and Solution

Constraints and goals

Constraints:
- Tight budget
- High need for adaptability to frequently changing goals and requirements
Business goals:
- Build a functional e-commerce platform for wine sales
- Develop a supervisor panel to manage wines scanned by end-users

Our Solution

Collaboration process

Project began with direct onboarding, based on previous trust and collaboration
We used an Agile methodology, with tasks tracked in Jira
Communication included multiple channels and on-site visits, ensuring high alignment

Scope of work

Primotly delivered end-to-end technical support, including:

Backend development
Full-stack engineering
Creation of tools and infrastructure to support:
- Mobile backend
- Product database
- Admin panel for scanned wines
- Public API for integration with mobile clients

Technologies used

React
Symfony

World-class technologies

Results & Business Value

Deliverables

Functional backend for mobile applications
Clean and structured database
Supervisor back office to manage wine-related data
Stable and scalable API to support frontends and integrations

Business outcomes

Streamlined internal processes
Significantly improved UX for users and internal staff
Boosted confidence from investors and stakeholders

Notably: After project completion, the startup was acquired by Leclerc, one of France’s largest retail groups — a clear validation of its technological and business success.

Project Team & Work Model

Team composition:
- 1 Backend Developer
- 1 Full Stack Developer
- 1 Project Manager
Cooperation model:
- A mix of extended team (ongoing) and fixed-price (defined scopes)
Tools and communication:
- Slack for daily contact
- Jira for task tracking
Work rhythm:
- Agile sprints

Lessons Learned

Biggest success:
- The acquisition of the client by Leclerc proves that stable architecture and fast delivery can drive business value at scale.
Challenges:
- No major blockers were encountered, but dynamic changes in requirements required adaptability.