Uber Eats and quick commerce player Getir have inked a grocery delivery partnership, starting in the U.K. The tie-up, which expands the range of groceries on tap for Uber Eats’ users, is slated to cover other markets where the pair operate in Europe in the coming weeks — so presumably it’ll launch in Germany and the Netherlands shortly. (We’ve asked for a confirm on all markets. Update: “We expect the partnership to be expanded to Uber Eats users in Germany and Netherlands very soon.“)
The q-commerce space has faced a gruelling few years since inflated demand over the pandemic crashed back to Earth after COVID-19 lockdowns lifted and shoppers gained confidence about returning to in-person purchasing. Platforms that were once riding high have had to dial in their expectations and trim market footprints as previously high valuations cratered while high burn rates gobbled up the hundreds of millions investors had poured in at the peak of the q-commerce boom.
Getir slashed its global headcount by 14% last year. Then, earlier this year, it confirmed a series of market exits in Europe — as it was reported to be struggling with costs and funding. There has also been notable consolidation in the space over this period with Getir picking up German rival Gorillas at the back end of last year.
Now the Turkish startup once valued at almost $12 billion is chasing growth by making its service available via Uber’s platform in a bid to tap a larger user base.
Getir says it’s drawing on Gorillas’ network of dark stores to power the grocery delivery partnership with Uber Eats.
“The pan-European partnership will go live in U.K. stores today, and across other European countries in the coming weeks, providing Uber Eats users with seamless access to over 2,000 products, with deliveries expected to be made in minutes,” the pair wrote in a press release. “As part of the partnership, Uber Eats customers will also have the option to shop from Gorillas stores over the coming weeks.”
Uber Eats already offers grocery delivery options in the U.K. And in recent years it has inked a number of partnerships in the market to beef up its ability to serve U.K. users with on-demand groceries — including with well-known supermarkets like Tesco and Waitrose.
Uber also beefed up Eats’ regional offering during the pandemic by inking partnerships with grocery retailers Carrefour in France and Galp in Spain. But the Getir tie-up looks set to build out its grocery offering in other European markets, while deepening the choice it’s able to offer U.K. shoppers — including faster delivery times.
The rollout of Getir stores onto the Uber Eats app will see Getir couriers fulfilling these grocery deliveries, rather than Uber Eats riders — in order, the pair say, to maintain speedy delivery times (Getir pledges grocery delivery “within minutes”).
From its side, Uber Eats touts that it’s seeing continued rapid growth in demand for groceries from its users, saying orders in New Verticals exceeded $5BN in Gross Bookings in Q1, which it said was up nearly 35% YoY on a constant currency basis. And being a big enough platform to ink deals with a variety of different brands to cater to different tastes and needs may be key to driving that growth.
Commenting in a statement, Eve Henrikson, regional general manager, Uber Delivery EMEA, said:
We are delighted Getir has joined Uber Eats today. We want to ensure customers can use Uber Eats to get almost anything delivered in a matter of minutes, at the touch of a button. Getir’s vast selection of everyday essentials and ultrafast grocery delivery model will further enhance our marketplace and ensure more choice and convenience for millions of customers across key European markets.
In another supporting statement, Turancan Salur, Getir’s regional general manager, described the company’s excitement over the tie-up and being able to “offer a new way for customers to access our products and experience our unparalleled quick commerce service”.
“This partnership between two strong and well-known international brands brings great advantages to Uber Eats customers, who now have the option to choose from Getir’s wide range of grocery and convenience products. At the same time, Getir benefits from accessing Uber Eats’ large pool of customers, further contributing to its growth,” he also suggested.