Turkish startup Getir, which offers fast deliveries of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), is open to employing the couriers of Spain-based fast delivery company Glovo, the company's CEO announced, following the Spanish initiatives' recent pullout from the Turkish market.
Nazım Salur said in a statement he shared on his Twitter account that the company's door will always be open to the former Turkish employees of Glovo.
The Spanish company announced its decision to pull out from the Turkish market, along with three other markets, on Jan. 21 with a statement in which it explained the reason as preserving and maintaining its leadership position in the global market and shifting its resources to regions where it can see profitability in the short term. Three other countries in which Glovo was set to suspend its operations are Egypt, Uruguay and Puerto Rico.
Most recently, the company, which was founded in Barcelona in 2015, acquired the Polish Pizza Portal, announcing that the company will use the received investment to widen its operational basis. The delivery startup had announced earlier – not long before the decision – that the number of its Turkish purchasers has been increasing each day. Glovo was carrying out its operations in three metropolises in Turkey: Istanbul, the capital Ankara and western İzmir.
Glovo had several competitors in the Turkish market, Getir being one of them.
Emerging in 2015, Getir has created a new market, most recently securing millions of dollars of funding from Silicon Valley. Led by venture capitalist Michael Moritz, a group of Silicon Valley investors provided funding for Getir. Following Moritz, a number of investors from Brazil and Turkey have provided an additional $13 million in funding. Getir has completed its Series A tour with a total investment of $38 million, potentially paving the way for its $1 billion "unicorn" valuation.
The Getir app algorithm allows users to access a cloud of goods and basic needs in every city and region and request super-fast deployment from stock warehouses located in key areas. The company allows users to order food products, iPhone chargers and cleaning materials with a delivery fee.
Among the competitors of the Spanish startup, there is also Turkey's largest online food platform, Yemeksepeti A.Ş, operations of which are based on not only FMCGs but also hot meals delivered to purchasers after being picked up from nearby restaurants or cafes by the company couriers. Yemeksepeti valet services, like that of Glovo's, also provide fast coffee delivery from chain brands like Starbucks. The company and its Banabi startup have been enjoying a comfortable lead over its competitors with the largest market share. Yemeksepeti is also active in Greece and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus as well as Middle Eastern markets such as Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia via the ordering platforms foodonclick.com and ifood.jo.