goPuff, the on-demand convenience store delivery service bringing you what you need, when you need it, today announced an additional $5 million in venture funding, led by existing investor Anthos Capital. This latest investment closes goPuff's Series A round total at $8.25 million, which will propel goPuff's expansion into new markets. The company is launching in Portland, OR, and Houston, TX, in June, and Minneapolis, MN, and Nashville, TN, over the next few months, with future plans to roll out in at least seven additional cities by the end of 2016.
The Philadelphia, PA-based company warehouses more than 3,000 products – ranging from snacks, drinks and ice cream to home goods, beer and electronics – delivered in 30 minutes or less. goPuff currently serves nine U.S. markets including New York City; Washington DC; Boston, MA; Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Seattle, WA;Phoenix, AZ; Chicago, IL; and its hometown Philadelphia. This new capital will be used to support new market entry, marketing initiatives and operational expansion, including goPuff's new 40,000-square-foot warehouse headquarters in Philadelphia.
"We expanded to our first three cities when we were completely bootstrapped. This additional funding is simply to accelerate our growth," said Rafael Ilishayev, goPuff Co-Founder and CEO. "Ultimately, our goal is to provide the fastest and most affordable on-demand delivery option available in the market. Using technology to make our lives more efficient, goPuff is eliminating the need to visit traditional stores. Goodbye convenience store, Hello goPuff."
The startup was co-founded in 2013 by Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola, two Drexel University undergraduates, who initially delivered only 50 basic products before pivoting the company to a full, on-demand convenience store delivery service in 2014. What makes goPuff unique from other delivery services is that it has local warehouses in every city, stocked with inventory, allowing the company to bring the products directly to the customer. This means faster and more cost-efficient delivery as goPuff does not depend on other stores to operate. The startup is extremely popular among college students and Millennials, and has already attracted Snoop Dogg and players on the Philadelphia 76ers as customers, with revenue increasing 25% month-over-month.
To use the service, visit goPuff's website or download the mobile app, type in your residential address and scroll through a wide range of products across 20 categories from snacks, groceries, household goods, office supplies, pet supplies and more, as well as beer* and liquor stores* (*-in select markets). Approximately 75% of goPuff's sales come from food-related products. The company operates from 12pm-4:30am in most markets (24/7 in others) and charges a flat $1.95 delivery charge, which is waived for orders over $49, with zero surcharges.
goPuff is available on iOS and Android. For more information on goPuff, visit http://gopuff.com/.
About goPuff
goPuff is a service that is replacing the need for convenience stores. The company warehouses and delivers thousands of products in 30 minutes or less to your door 24/7, for a flat $1.95 delivery charge. As the fastest and most affordable on-demand delivery option available in the market, goPuff takes convenience seriously, bringing you what you need, when you need it, operating from 12 PM to 4:30am in most cities and 24/7 inPhiladelphia. goPuff's backend system and warehouses streamline supply chain and make the model scalable. goPuff currently operates in nine major markets (DC, Philadelphia, NYC, Boston, Austin, Denver, Seattle,Phoenix and Chicago) and is expanding rapidly. goBrands Inc. is the parent company of goPuff, as well as two recently launched subsidiaries – goBeer and goBooze – offering on-demand alcohol delivery in select markets.
About Anthos Capital
Anthos Capital is a multi-stage venture capital and growth equity firm with offices in Santa Monica and Menlo Park. Select portfolio companies include Machine Zone (creators of Game of War and Mobile Strike), Trunk Club, and Munchery.