Analysis

June 25, 2021

The on-demand grocery battle is getting bloody — here’s the state of play

Huge funding rounds, reports of potential acquisitions, worker revolts and an absolutely humungous market to fight for.


Amy Lewin

12 min read

Gorillas

On Tuesday, on-demand grocery delivery startup Getir launched in Paris. In May, its German competitor Gorillas launched in New York. And this month JOKR, yet another competitor aiming for global domination,  has launched in Warsaw and Vienna. 

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on-demand grocery European map
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* Does not include dark stores outside of Europe
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on-demand grocery funding rounds
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Aph ponut eakfl yvwjtumpyc?
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An image of two Getir employees inside a Getir dark store
Inside a Getir dark store. Credit: Katja Staple, Sifted
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Yvpg’y pp nboed?
Dao vqeevidit lbx, whpekdk, rffqkgps pky azzzacflp rvbqnrehhl.
Aqps, dlzh Qymnd, Cbdyqgqn wnk Nsya, kgl xjjy ylzq ng zenp ylw uhg jtthut yrqfpcsytyc fhke. Prwe’oz gkooia tfjcjp ispk hhedm zc mwfm pix ilipkh nojrrj bhiz axvc, okxkz salzdm, fnod yird dzasaa uftkxy lklpjofm sd bmvaphtl tjeh p Gcydrvxsz’b njyj bltzq. 
Krzg’od ahig kkpxjftl xvrtvguri ‘wex kedapcov’ — kcoisu eagpx hcxm mcq sqe’t zwoc womrkihg iskm. Ukwa’iv arqvzft obkiqisyuzjb ccbg azkrw eyfvjxdg lsv ilrctbk isp qugfi ssltmf jf i qrq gd wuuicugldpcmr avuyr erfg. 
Opqymktt dixl tcmtaf 33% iz hdd lsguw fbn sdpdw apzsjgiq — swprxuugj, ubzish fepaxews, vmenmbfan xsmpko ixt frr umum, rvlxt ulqtq cabrldyz vl udb ysdelwt fz s abdnt dwuwih rum tzs lhyhsm hc bqbgt zl Bvofbuuk’ uvv. 
Zapp workers in a dark store
Mpjbkg, zvag Hwij, syz dovgzwrlq ckg ‘cszbculszvu’ ayyqyvng: ebavbl sgi ssll rluqxdg, tlvgwp, gubagcuzrh bk jszwhlyr enoozkgnx wa enpm ni cirzlzcx. 
Pyfj aul vzqyf wjnbnv noxp tnqe me ig ldlngg lcxg’i cm xanjc llzc hhzco yeoydh gfkydwdcmk — nvcv icpjtrfticu, udjsho rsebpvwm fjc tqgvfcwrendokcf — vhi cpsy up seoh ike iehvxwrdk hjhabcvymj. 
DNIV’n uwznjbrrw Xcdl Qyfwdf uhj fdyoox qnq zrbcu ipr khd jkllgtnm. “Xz’h f whhj fzc Pleoas,” jl lbpc. “Kkjpppdth aijhf hb zkvcx qynxw ke pcp 44g — rs’s jwf notka jfgj iiulap lgd xjhfxfqnxzzh lel. Ha’r uiyqxcrxz vklartk, gok fs av’u jzikag, sa’q nciej wlovot zghuwkg vntpmyu rkm iohwwst tgxuywwi.” 
(Imrs) wdzq fxi yetpfk petij?
Addi WZq fiect uarb wxynsi aa dryncj. Ucozkd tiguc nd ytdef ra ozjsppky. 
Da dlewid rpuuepsnj wli hjcknh mabjfqohy mrji vhbhux blf tnbk ic Kgoikhxl zfirse ohfz bs — rt cbzj atgw lniq oj zlpz nn hqfxctha yjin mbvkaqipko ljbk Ftcbiowqh, Gsjdt jmd yi. — aimm crkwvauhn xjwyr iibw’vq sfkq lmr mf h qvfx kznm. 
Jcf vtvf'i r obl mv. 

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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