56. Grocemania

Founders: Askar Bulegenov and Alexandr Zhexembayev
Founded: 2018
Website: www.grocemania.co.uk

It’s safe to say we’ve all learnt a lot from 2020 – including how useful it can be to have essentials brought straight to our doors. And if anything else proves this fact, it’s the success of Grocemania: the retail startup delivering fresh groceries directly to customers’ homes.

So, what separates Grocemania’s services from a standard supermarket delivery? Well, founders Askar Bulegenov and Alexandr Zhexembayev are on a mission to empower local businesses to sell their produce online, at no extra cost to those businesses.

Today, Grocemania works with over 300 local grocery stores, butchers, marketplace sellers, fishmongers, and more, delivering their fresh produce directly to customers who’ve placed an order online. What’s more, hungry customers only have to wait for an average of 15 minutes for their delivery.

Grocemania works with over 300 local grocery stores, butchers, marketplace sellers, fishmongers, and more

Grocemania ranked 99th in the Startups 100 2020, but just one year later, it has leapt up to position 56. And that’s not surprising, when the last 12 months have seen the business make 50,000 deliveries, launch in six new UK cities, and open two of its own dark stores from which to fulfil orders efficiently.

Amidst big plans to get 500 more local sellers onto their online marketplace by the end of 2021, Bulegenov and Zhexembayev are continuing to introduce local shops to the world of ecommerce, and help customers enjoy fresh, locally-made food with all the convenience of a takeaway delivery.

the last 12 months have seen the business make 50,000 deliveries and launch in six new UK cities

They’ve also got their eyes on a few competitors that have started to make ground in the UK, but they’re confident that their business has the traction and the vision to hold its own – and we definitely agree.