Cairo-based grocery delivery platform GoodsMart has raised USD 3.6 million in a recent funding round led by Sawari Ventures, the company announced. The startup has previously raised money from Algebra Ventures in two rounds.
Launched in 2014, GoodsMart enables users in West Cairo to order groceries using its mobile app. On the surface, it may look like any other grocery delivery startup, but the overall user experience and operating model of GoodsMart is completely different. Its grocery delivery service is contactless as users receive their orders in a pre-installed GoodsMart box outside their homes.
Once a user signs up on the platform, GoodsMart installs a delivery box on their doorstep. As soon as the installation is complete, they can order groceries using its mobile app. All the orders are delivered between midnight and 6:00 a.m., so users find the groceries in the box when they wake up in the morning. Customers can also use the option of recurring orders to receive certain products on a regular basis.
The startup works with different suppliers to fulfill customer orders. It also partners with real estate developers to install its delivery boxes across homes in different residential compounds, giving users the option to order groceries, medicines, and other products.
Amr Fawzi, the founder and CEO of GoodsMart, said, “We started in 2014 with a vision to re-invent grocery shopping. Our biggest success is the emotional bond we managed to create with our clients; listening to them was and will always be the secret recipe.”
Hany El Sonbaty, the managing partner at Sawari Ventures, said, “The demand for online grocery delivery has been exponentially increasing. GoodsMart has managed to disrupt the market by providing a seamless, innovative solution for consumers that will shape the future for this sector.”
GoodsMart plans to use the latest funds to accelerate its expansion and add more people to its team. It plans to launch in East Cairo in the next few months.
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This article was originally published on MENAbytes.