Providing on-demand grocery delivery service in ten minutes or less, Gorillas, the on-demand grocery delivery startup and the fastest European startup to reach unicorn status, is launching its operations in the U.S. on May 30.
The company said it would begin its U.S. expansion with service in Bushwick, which includes parts of Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn, which includes the Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens neighborhoods, with plans to expand to additional areas of New York City and other major cities.
“As a result of the pandemic, online grocery delivery has seen steep momentum, but now that this industry has experienced the long-overdue propulsion into e-commerce, it will be here to stay,” said Kağan Sümer, CEO and Co-founder of Gorillas.
“At Gorillas, we’re proud to not only offer consumers the convenience of such immediacy but to do it with a purpose: in contrast to established gig economy models, we employ all riders directly and change the way riders work with full-time and part-time opportunities as well as benefits to our delivery staff,” added Sümer.
Online grocery shopping has skyrocketed up 230 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. With Gorillas’ established success in Europe, the e-grocery startup said is in a prime position to accelerate online grocery adoption, which is expected to reach more than half of U.S. consumers by 2022.
To deliver on its value proposition of ten-minute delivery, Gorillas operates various micro warehouses in each neighborhood it serves.
Gorillas is committed to providing an exceptional product experience that mirrors a trip to the supermarket, with the in-app ‘aisles’ organized just how they would be in physical aisles for easy browsing. Also, Gorillas allow customers to purchase a wide array of standard grocery items and products from hyperlocal vendors so that consumers can shop from and support their favorite local businesses. For example, New York City customers will have access to beloved go-to’s such as Black Seed Bagels and OddFellows Ice Cream Co., among others.
Beyond providing a superior customer experience, Gorillas puts the utmost emphasis on the treatment of its riders. A departure from the traditional gig economy model, Gorillas’ riders are provided full-time employment, and full-time riders receive benefits traditional employees receive in similar industries, like healthcare, bikes, uniforms, and other equipment.
“Our riders are at the heart of everything we do, and we’re firmly committed to going against the grain when it comes to the idea of people doing rigorous tasks, like biking urban streets, with limited resources,” said Sümer. “From day one, Gorillas was built on the belief that every employee should have the right gear and the right benefits to do their job safely, and that’s a belief on which we’ll never waver.”
As part of its New York City launch and underscoring its support of local communities, Gorillas has teamed up with Rethink Food, a nonprofit whose mission is to create a more sustainable and equitable food system. In partnership with Gorillas, Rethink Food will collect all potential food waste from warehouses and transform it into nutritious meals for distribution via other community-based organizations.
The Gorillas app is available for download now. Service will be available in Bushwick, parts of Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill on May 30, followed by a quick expansion to follow in June across Manhattan. For more information, visit Gorillas’ website.