As of May 2022, two years have already passed since the launch of the instant on-demand delivery service Gorillas. 24 months in which over sixteen million orders have been delivered in nine countries worldwide. The company, founded and led by Kağan Sümer, is now resuming and looking back at some of its biggest milestones.
The road to success: Key facts
Since its founding in Berlin in May 2020, the startup has grown rapidly, expanding to more than 60 cities - including Amsterdam, London, Paris, Madrid, New York, Milan and Munich - and establishing more than 230 micro-fulfillment centers in nine countries. After just nine months, the start-up achieved Unicorn status, faster than any other German company before. This also makes Gorillas one of the fastest growing start-ups in Europe. Since launching two years ago, the company has become a community, employing more than 15,000 people worldwide from more than 160 nationalities. In the process, Gorillas' latest funding round catapulted the Berlin-based startup into the top 5 largest deals in Europe, according to a recent EY study. In total Gorillas received fundings of 1.1B US-Dollar.
After a period of strong growth, Gorillas is now pushing a clear strategy for its profitability. With the acquisition of the French company Frichti in March of this year, the young company strengthens its technological infrastructure and also gains an excellent operational network based on Frichti's many years of experience and expertise.
Revolution in the food industry: Gorillas bets on strong partnerships
In the last two years, Gorillas has been able to announce several groundbreaking partnerships with traditional food retailers: For example, the company is working with major supermarket chains such as Tesco in England, Casino Group in France, and Jumbo in the Netherlands and in Belgium to give them access to the Q-Commerce industry and strengthen its own position in the markets. Furthermore, with the start of the 2022 Tour de France, Gorillas will become a sponsor of the Jumbo-Visma team and the Gorillas logo will be featured on the jerseys of the top cyclists.
In addition, Gorillas sealed a multi-year premium sponsorship partnership with Paris Saint-Germain soccer club at the end of last year. Together, their goal is to provide the best possible experience for their fans and communities around the world. Through this first global sponsorship in the sports sector, Gorillas strengthens its presence in Europe and aims to benefit from the millions of Paris Saint-Germain fans on the leading platforms.
Sustainability - more than a strategy
Since its funding, Gorillas has placed a strong emphasis on sustainable initiatives, supporting more than 100 local and regional businesses, as well as long-term collaborations with companies that share the same (sustainability) goals, such as Vytal in Germany, Groundcycle in the US and Too Good To Go on a global scale. With the latter, the global collaboration has so far distributed more than 260,000 food packages and saved over 660 tons of CO2. To combat food waste, the company has also been offering its own "SOStainable Bags" since April of this year. By ordering the bags, customers receive food at a reduced price that is close to its best-before date but is still safe to eat. The contents of the bags vary from day to day.
Gorillas is also the first climate-neutral player in the Q-Commerce market. Through a fully comprehensive analysis and assessment of all emissions in collaboration with climate tech company Planetly, the company has managed to offset all emissions under direct control (in Scope 1, 2 and 3.3) since its inception in May 2020. In line with Gorillas' ESG strategy, the company aims to use 100 percent renewable energy no later than spring 2023 and is pursuing a goal of zero edible food waste by mid-2023.
Gorillas creates a unique work culture and atmosphere
Above all, Gorillas cares about providing its riders with the best possible equipment. In the last two years, there has been a strong investment in the renewal of rider kits and (driving) safety. The riders are equipped with the latest generation e-bikes from the Berlin-based e-bike specialis Get Henry. These were purchased based on feedback from Gorillas riders and are specifically tailored to the requirements of the delivery service's riders. They are more robust, more comfortable and more durable than previous models. Through this cooperation with Get Henry, the bikes are regularly checked and maintained. In addition, all riders received a complete equipment kit for the winter, including jackets, gloves, safety glasses and neck warmers. Furthermore, all riders at Gorillas receive tax-free tips (digital and cash). The entire crew earned a total of more than 5 million euros via in-app tips worldwide in 2021. Further, training options also play a significant role for the on-demand delivery service. Over 400 employees have already been promoted internally.
Earlier this year, Gorillas also launched its own record label, Pedal Records, to give talented and creative employees the opportunity to develop and live out their passions. Together with the Berlin-based record label MNF, the company now offers its employees support in the release process and professional advice on entering the music industry. Over seventy artists from within the Gorillas workforce have been signed already.
"The last two years were a time of immense learning, development and change: from groundbreaking partnerships, employee-focused creative initiatives and collaborations, to setting unprecedented sustainability standards for the Q-Commerce industry. We are now entering our third year of pioneering and shaping the on-demand delivery scene, as well as creating generational impact beyond our industry. I am excited to see what the next few years will hold in store for us" Kağan Sümer, CEO and founder of Gorillas.
About Gorillas
Gorillas, founded by CEO Kağan Sümer, builds an infrastructure for the fastest last-mile delivery of essential human needs. The on-demand delivery startup needs just a few minutes to get a user’s desired goods from the cart to the user’s desired location. Users of the app benefit from access to more than 2,000 essential items at retail prices for a delivery fee of just 1.80€. By disrupting the shopping and supply chain experience of traditional retail companies, Gorillas is shaping new grocery consumer behavior (Need-Order-Get). Gorillas has hired a diverse team of more than 15,000 employees globally – spreading true change in its community. In a little over one year, Gorillas has expanded to more than 60 cities, including Amsterdam, London, Paris, Madrid, New York, Milan and Munich, and built more than 230 warehouses across 9 countries.