Today in Food Commerce: DoorDash Announces CPG Accelerator; Gorillas Finalizes Frichti Acquisition

Today in food commerce, DoorDash announces an accelerator for consumer packaged goods businesses owned by people from marginalized groups, and Gorillas finalizes its acquisition of Frichti. Plus, PYMNTS data suggests that consumers may not yet be fully onboard with voice-assisted restaurant ordering.

Turkey’s Rapid Delivery Service Getir Eyes $800M in Funding

Turkish grocery delivery startup Getir is set to close a deal to raise $800 million in a funding round, which comes with a $250 million check from lead investor Mubadala.

As Bloomberg reported Friday (March 11), Sequoia, Tiger Global and Abu Dhabi’s state holding company ADQ also participated in the round. Alpha Wave Global, which was known as Falcon Edge Capital, is also set to join the other investors.

Restaurants Invest in Voice Ordering Technology Despite Slow Adoption

Restaurants on the leading edge of voice commerce may have to expect consumer hesitancy.

According to research from PYMNTS’ “The 2022 Global Digital Shopping Index: The Digital Transformation of Retail and the Consumer Shopping Experience,” created in collaboration Cybersource, merchants are far more likely to offer voice-enabled purchasing than customers are likely to use it.

The research surveyed 13,000 consumers and 3,100 merchants in six countries. In Brazil, for instance, 76% of merchants offer voice ordering features, while just 33% of consumers said they use them.

Gorillas Finalizes M&A Deal for French Start-Up Frichti

Gorillas, a German express delivery startup operating in the U.K., U.S. and France, has finalized the closing of its first acquisition deal for French delivery startup Frichti for undisclosed terms.

Gorillas was founded in 2020 and had an estimated value of $3 billion as of October 2021. With this acquisition, the combined entity will have a 17.1% share in same-day grocery delivery within Paris.

DoorDash Announces CPG Accelerator for DashMart Distribution

On Monday (March 14), DoorDash announced that it is launching a new accelerator program focused on supporting small consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses owned by individuals from marginalized groups.

Titled the DoorDash Accelerator for Local Goods, the program offers financial support and educational initiatives to 50 entrepreneurs. It includes a six-week curriculum created in partnership with Next Street, offering lessons on things such as supply chain challenges, financial management and vendor relations, among other perks.