Getir, a Turkish grocery delivery company, has purchased Gorillas, a German company, for an unknown sum, the company announced on Friday. Getir founder Nazim Salur said in a statement on Friday that convenience is here to stay despite market ups and downs. “The market for really quick grocery delivery will continue to expand for many years to come, and Getir will dominate this segment it founded seven years ago.”
Loss-making grocery delivery services are enduring a tough market environment, in which investors are reevaluating positions in companies most exposed to the effects of tighter monetary policy and a rising cost of living.
The long-rumored takeover values Gorillas at $1.2 billion and the broader Getir group at $10 billion, according to a report from the Financial Times. That would represent markdowns of 61% and 15% from their last respective valuations.
Earlier reports had suggested the deal would be financed with a combination of Getir equity and cash.
Istanbul-based Getir didn’t disclose financial details for the deal but said in a statement that it “underscores how Getir leads consolidation in this sector.”
Gorillas was among the most hyped startups in the rapid-delivery sector, promising its users delivery times as low as 10 minutes and discounts subsidized by venture capital. Founded in May 2020, the company expanded aggressively during the coronavirus lockdowns.
In 2021, the company was valued at $3.1 billion in a private financing round led by German food delivery company Delivery Hero.
However, Gorillas ran into trouble earlier this year, laying off hundreds of its employees and exiting markets generating less revenue, like Italy and Belgium.
“Gorillas had only two choices — sell or go out of business,” Brittain Ladd, an independent retail industry consultant, told CNBC via email.
Getir is likely acquiring Gorillas for its dark stores, small facilities that house stock for online delivery rather than in-store shopping, according to Ladd.
“The deal makes sense for Getir but it’s a short-term solution. Many countries have enacted laws or are enacting laws to shut down dark stores,” Ladd said.
Getir, which was last valued at $11.8 billion, has operations in nine countries including Turkey, the U.S., U.K., Germany and France. It also opted to cut jobs earlier this year.
The rapid delivery industry has seen a wave of consolidation, with the U.K. grocery startup Weezy also being bought by Getir and German firm Flink’s Austrian subsidiary ceasing operations and going into insolvency.
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