In this second coronavirus spring, Russian-founded food delivery services are making their way in western countries. One of them is Getfaster.io, a German fresh product retail and delivery company launched in 2020 by former X5 executive Dmitry Bergelson alongside with Georgy Skalsky, Kirill Solonitsyn and Anton Zakharov.
After starting operations in Düsseldorf in January 2021, the company now serves nine German cities including Berlin, as reported by Rusbase. GetFaster claims to process every day some 360 orders, which are delivered in up to two hours.
In February, the startup attracted €1.5 million from a consortium of Russian or Russia-connected investors, including AltaIR Capital, Bramos Capital, Brayne, Optimum Strategy Capital as well as individual investors from the restaurant industry. The deal has just been announced to the media.
The fresh money will be used to open new dark stores, launch marketing campaigns, develop logistics and IT, and expand the team. GetFaster plans to raise some €30 million later this year “to aggressively expand into new territories”, develop its product range, increase profitability and improve infrastructure. The company aims to generate some €2 billion in turnover in 4-5 years.
Bergelson, Skalsky and Zakharov founded a homonymous service in Russia back in 2016. Currently positioned as an e-commerce and delivery service provider serving offline retailers, GetFaster.ru is independent from the German company, with no legal link between the two entities.
Among other Russian-founded food delivery services operating internationally are Yandex’s Yango Deli (Israel, France, and soon the UK), Jiffy (UK), Food Rocket and FridgeNoMore (USA).
“Russian companies pioneered a new model for food delivery: after Samokat and Yandex Lavka launched their 15 minute-service in Moscow, Russian entrepreneurs started opening similar ventures in the US, the UK and Europe,” said AltaIR Capital founder Igor Ryabenky in an exchange with East-West Digital News.
Update June 17, 2021: Cats.vc, a Lithuanian fund with Russian roots, together with a group of Russian businessmen, invested €1.3 million in Swedish Vembla, Vedomosti reports. This marketplace offers a vast selection of groceries and everyday goods from local retailers delivered to customers “within minutes.”
