Fruitz, the French dating app acquired by Bumble in 2022, will close as Bumble refocuses on its main brands, Bumble and Badoo. Despite Fruitz’s unique fruit-themed relationship indicators and popularity in France, the decision reflects a strategic shift amidst increasing competition from Match Group. Bumble anticipates a profit loss of around $12 million in 2025 due to the closure. Founder Whitney Wolfe Herd’s return as CEO aims to enhance user safety and introduce new features to revive the company’s performance.
The Closure of Fruitz: A Strategic Shift for Bumble
The French dating application Fruitz is set to close its doors as Bumble, the parent company that also owns Badoo, pivots its focus to its core brands. Initially launched in 2017, Fruitz was acquired by Bumble in February 2022 for a hefty sum of $75 million, with the aim of enhancing Bumble’s footprint in the European market. However, this ambitious plan has only lasted three years.
Bumble’s Refocused Strategy: Moving Forward Without Fruitz
During a recent conference call, Bumble’s CEO Lidiane Jones elaborated on the decision to discontinue Fruitz and another app, Official. This move is part of a broader strategy to prioritize Bumble and Badoo, the company’s flagship platforms. Jones indicated that shutting down Fruitz and Official could lead to an anticipated profit loss of approximately $12 million in 2025. The closure is expected to take place in the first half of 2025, although no exact date has been provided. This decision comes as a shock, particularly following Fruitz’s recent launch of Freez, a new story feature similar to those on Instagram and BeReal.
Fruitz gained popularity in France by allowing users to choose a fruit—such as cherry, peach, watermelon, or grape—to signify the type of relationship they were seeking, whether it be friendship or romance. This unique approach aimed to clarify users’ intentions right from the start, a concept that has since been mimicked by various other dating platforms. Additionally, Fruitz featured engaging “icebreaker” questions that encouraged users to interact during matches.
Moreover, Fruitz effectively utilized influencer campaigns on YouTube to establish a strong brand presence in France. According to reports, in 2023, it secured the position of the third most popular dating app in the country, boasting over a million active users monthly, alongside Tinder and Badoo. Overall, the app has amassed more than 10 million downloads across the six countries where it operates.
Bumble is now facing stiff competition from Match Group, the parent company of popular apps like Tinder and Hinge. In May 2024, Bumble had ambitious plans to compete more aggressively with Match, announcing intentions to pursue mergers and acquisitions within the dating app space. These announcements followed a significant layoff strategy that saw 350 employees—30% of Bumble’s workforce—let go.
In 2024, Bumble did see a slight revenue growth of 2%, reaching nearly $1.1 billion. However, a recent dip in the last quarter suggests a decline in average total revenue per paying user. Despite high download rates for its applications, there has been a noticeable drop in users subscribing to paid memberships. Bumble anticipates a further decline in “paying users” this quarter, which could lead to a decrease in overall revenue.
To revitalize the company’s fortunes, Whitney Wolfe Herd, Bumble’s founder, is making a return as CEO. After being succeeded by Lidiane Jones in November 2023, Herd’s return comes at a critical time; Bumble’s valuation has plummeted by 54% since her departure. Herd’s strategy to help Bumble regain its footing includes a renewed emphasis on user safety measures, setting the company apart from Match, which has faced criticism for inadequate attention to this aspect. Additionally, Bumble plans to introduce a “Discover” tab, akin to Tinder’s, aimed at helping users find partners based on shared interests and enabling profile sharing.