In this episode of Twice ✌️, Thibaud Elzière sits down with Julia Bijaoui, co‑founder of Frichti and Selar.
Julia retraces her entrepreneurial journey, from her early days at JoliBox/Birchbox to co‑founding Frichti with Quentin Vacher in 2015. The service was a hit, reaching €100 million in revenue and delivering up to 10,000 meals a day. But its highly integrated, operationally demanding model became hard to scale in the face of aggressive quick‑commerce competitors. In 2022, Frichti was acquired by Gorillas.
After that intense adventure, Julia co‑founded Selar, a radically different project: a low‑emission polar expedition ship offering immersive, eco‑friendly experiences in the Arctic — a complete break from the polluting model of traditional cruises. With this second venture, Julia is taking her time: a two‑year construction timeline, a business model profitable from year one, a lean team, and a clear go‑to‑market strategy. For her, Selar feels like a continuation of the journey started with Frichti — but now with sharper perspective: an entrepreneur seeking impact, balance, and projects built to last.
We talk about:
The origins of her entrepreneurial drive
Her early experience at JoliBox/Birchbox
Building and scaling Frichti
The limits of Frichti’s model
Selling Frichti to Gorillas and what followed
The birth of Selar
