Following success in Europe, an on-demand grocery delivery startup will launch in the U.S. next week. Providing on-demand grocery delivery service in ten minutes or less, Gorillas will begin its U.S. expansion with service in New York City in Bushwick, which includes parts of Williamsburg and Downtown Brooklyn, with plans to expand to additional areas of NYC 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, in a statement. “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.”
To deliver on its promise of ten minute delivery, Gorillas operates various micro warehouses in each neighborhood it serves. Gorillas allows customers to purchase a wide array of standard grocery items, as well as 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 favorites such as Black Seed Bagels and OddFellows Ice Cream Co., among others.
In addition to full time employment, Gorillas' riders receive benefits 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,” continued 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.
Related: 7-Eleven Offers Half-Hour Delivery; Online Grocery Sales Down in April.
Image: Gorillas