Gorillas
A German-founded ultrafast grocery-delivery brand that operated through app-based orders and urban dark stores before being acquired by Getir and discontinued in 2024.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Gorillas was a German ultrafast grocery-delivery company founded in Berlin in May 2020 by Kağan Sümer, Jörg Kattner, Jeff Hester, and Ronny Shibley. Its model combined a mobile ordering application, a network of small urban warehouses known as dark stores, and bicycle couriers. Customers could order supermarket products, including fresh food, drinks, snacks, and selected household goods, with the company emphasizing very short delivery times and supermarket-level pricing. Its slogan, “faster than you,” captured the central promise of the brand. The company expanded exceptionally quickly during the rapid-growth phase of app-based grocery delivery. From its initial Berlin operation, Gorillas entered numerous European cities and later launched in the United States. At its height it was present in cities such as Amsterdam, London, Paris, Munich, and New York. The company’s dark-store infrastructure allowed it to hold frequently purchased products close to customers, while bicycle couriers handled the final delivery. Its range reportedly exceeded 3,600 products, spanning fruit and vegetables, packaged groceries, beverages, and some household necessities. Gorillas also pursued private-label merchandise, announcing in 2022 that products such as spreads, pasta, coffee, and beer would be sold under its own label in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and England. Gorillas attracted substantial private investment. It raised a reported $44 million Series A round in December 2020, $290 million in Series B financing in March 2021, and approximately $1 billion in Series C financing in October 2021. The October 2021 round reportedly valued the company at about $1 billion, making it one of the fastest German startups to reach unicorn status. The scale of its fundraising supported aggressive geographic expansion, but the economics of ultrafast grocery delivery proved difficult. The company faced high fulfillment, warehouse, labor, and delivery costs, while also confronting intense competition and the challenge of achieving profitable order density. As financial expectations weakened, Gorillas began retreating from several markets. It ended operations in Belgium, Italy, and Spain in 2022, limited its United Kingdom presence largely to London, and abandoned proposed expansion into markets including Switzerland and Australia. Gorillas also acquired the French delivery competitor Frichti and formed an alliance with Just Eat, but these moves did not reverse the broader pressure on the business. In December 2022, Turkish quick-commerce competitor Getir acquired Gorillas in a transaction reported at approximately $1.2 billion. Gorillas subsequently operated as a Getir-owned business rather than as an independent venture. The contraction continued under Getir. In June 2023, the company announced plans to withdraw from France, and by July 2023 its operations were described as covering about 35 cities from approximately 130 locations in four countries. In April 2024, Getir and Gorillas announced a withdrawal from all remaining Gorillas operating locations, leaving Getir operating only in its home market of Turkey. Gorillas therefore ceased operations in May 2024. Its history illustrates both the appeal and the structural limitations of the dark-store quick-commerce model: a highly recognizable promise of near-immediate convenience, rapid international scaling, and significant investor interest, followed by retrenchment, acquisition, and eventual closure.
History
Gorillas emerged in Berlin in May 2020 during a period of accelerating consumer adoption of app-based grocery delivery. Its founders—Kağan Sümer, Jörg Kattner, Jeff Hester, and Ronny Shibley—designed a service in which customers ordered supermarket goods through a mobile application and received them from nearby dark stores by bicycle courier. The model sought to combine the range and pricing of a grocery store with delivery measured in minutes rather than hours. Gorillas used the phrase “faster than you” to express this proposition. The company’s initial Berlin operation quickly became a platform for international expansion. It opened in numerous European cities and later entered the United States, with operations reported in cities including Amsterdam, London, Paris, Munich, and New York. Dark stores enabled the company to position inventory close to dense urban neighborhoods, while a courier network handled the final leg. The assortment included more than 3,600 products, from fresh produce and drinks to packaged food and household goods. The company also explored private-label economics, announcing in 2022 that it would sell own-brand spreads, pasta, coffee, beer, and other products in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and England. Gorillas attracted unusually large amounts of venture financing for a newly established delivery company. It reportedly raised $44 million in December 2020, $290 million in March 2021, and approximately $1 billion in October 2021. The last of these rounds reportedly placed the company’s valuation at about $1 billion, making Gorillas one of the fastest German startups to achieve unicorn status. The funding supported the rollout of stores, technology, marketing, and delivery operations across several countries. Founder and chief executive Kağan Sümer stated in 2022 that the company aimed to raise additional capital while moving toward profitability. The expansion model also generated operational and labor tensions. Couriers and other employees criticized equipment, delivery-time pressure, heavy loads, and alleged problems with pay. In October 2021, approximately 350 Berlin employees were dismissed after participating in a wildcat strike. The company responded in part by announcing investments in courier infrastructure, including 1,200 purpose-built electric bicycles, renewed protective and rider equipment, and employee benefits and bonus arrangements in several countries. These developments showed the difficulty of maintaining the brand’s speed promise while managing safety, labor standards, and cost control. Gorillas faced the wider economic problems of ultrafast grocery delivery: high warehouse and labor expenses, delivery costs, intense competition, and the need to generate sufficient order density in each neighborhood. During 2022 it closed operations in Belgium, Italy, and Spain, restricted its United Kingdom presence largely to London, and abandoned plans for countries such as Switzerland and Australia. It also acquired French competitor Frichti and entered an alliance with Just Eat, but these strategic moves did not restore the company’s original expansion trajectory. In December 2022, Getir, a Turkey-based competitor in the same quick-commerce category, acquired Gorillas in a deal reported at approximately $1.2 billion. Gorillas continued as a Getir-owned operation, but its geographic footprint contracted further. In June 2023, the group announced a withdrawal from France. By July 2023, Gorillas was reported to operate in roughly 35 cities through about 130 locations in four countries. In April 2024, Getir and Gorillas announced that Gorillas would withdraw from all remaining operating locations, while Getir would continue only in its home Turkish market. Gorillas ended operations in May 2024. The brand’s trajectory—from Berlin startup to rapidly funded international operator, followed by retrenchment, acquisition, and closure—became an example of the volatility of the dark-store grocery sector.
- 2024
Operations discontinued
[1]Getir and Gorillas announce a withdrawal from all remaining Gorillas locations; the brand ceases operations in May.
- 2023
Withdrawal from France announced
[1]The Getir-owned company announces that it will begin withdrawing from France.
- 2022
Own-brand grocery range announced
[1]Gorillas announces private-label products for several European markets, including spreads, pasta, coffee, and beer.
- 2022
Market retrenchment begins
[1]Gorillas closes or reduces operations in several countries as the company reassesses the economics of rapid international expansion.
- 2022
Acquired by Getir
[1]Getir acquires Gorillas in a transaction reported at approximately $1.2 billion.
- 2021
Series B expansion financing
[1]The company raises a reported $290 million Series B round during its rapid European and American expansion.
- 2021
Gorillas reaches unicorn status
[1]An approximately $1 billion financing round reportedly values Gorillas at about $1 billion.
- 2020
Gorillas is founded in Berlin
[1]Kağan Sümer, Jörg Kattner, Jeff Hester, and Ronny Shibley establish Gorillas in Berlin and launch its app-based dark-store grocery-delivery model.
- 2020
Series A financing
[1]Gorillas raises a reported $44 million Series A round to develop its rapid grocery network.
Products and positioning
Ultrafast, app-based grocery convenience built around nearby dark stores, bicycle delivery, supermarket-level pricing, and the promise of delivery faster than a customer could shop in person.
Delivery service · 2020
Grocery delivery service
Gorillas’ core offering was app-based delivery of supermarket products from urban dark stores. Customers selected groceries through the mobile application, and bicycle couriers collected and delivered orders. The assortment covered fresh produce, packaged food, snacks, drinks, and selected household products, with the service designed around very short delivery times and supermarket-level pricing.
Private-label groceries · 2022
Gorillas private-label products
In 2022, Gorillas announced its own grocery label for several European markets. Reported product categories included spreads, pasta, coffee, and beer. The private-label initiative was intended to broaden the assortment and give the company greater control over product differentiation and margins within its delivery marketplace.
Controversies
2023
Advertising campaign ruled irresponsible
The “Whatever London Wants” campaign was reported as banned after the advertising regulator concluded that its treatment of illicit drugs and excessive alcohol consumption could normalize irresponsible behavior.
2021
Labor conditions and Berlin wildcat strike
Employees and couriers criticized alleged inadequate equipment, pressure to meet delivery targets, heavy loads, and problems with pay. In October 2021, Gorillas dismissed approximately 350 Berlin employees who had participated in a wildcat strike.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Private-label launch
Germany · France · Netherlands · United Kingdom
Gorillas announced the introduction of own-brand grocery products, including spreads, pasta, coffee, and beer, as it sought to extend the brand beyond delivery infrastructure.
Outcome. The initiative was announced during the company’s retrenchment period; its long-term continuation was ended with Gorillas’ closure.
- 2022Whatever London Wants
United Kingdom
This London-focused advertising campaign promoted the breadth and immediacy of Gorillas’ on-demand grocery offer.
Outcome. The campaign was reported as banned in February 2023 after the advertising regulator found references to illicit drug use and excessive alcohol consumption irresponsible.
- 2020Faster than you
Europe · United States
“Faster than you” was Gorillas’ central brand promise, presenting the service as a way to receive everyday groceries more quickly than shopping in person. The positioning connected dark-store proximity, app ordering, and bicycle delivery with urban convenience.
Outcome. The slogan became closely associated with Gorillas’ ultrafast-delivery identity, although the speed-led model later faced cost, labor, and profitability pressures.
Brand decisions
2024
Ended Gorillas operationsStrategyBackground
The Getir group continued to reduce its geographic footprint after Gorillas’ acquisition.
Action taken
Getir and Gorillas announced withdrawal from all remaining Gorillas operating locations.
Aftermath
Gorillas ceased operations in May 2024, while Getir remained active only in Turkey.
2022
Introduced plans for private-label groceriesProduct launchBackground
Gorillas sought to expand its commercial proposition and differentiate its assortment beyond delivery speed.
Action taken
The company announced own-brand products such as spreads, pasta, coffee, and beer for four European markets.
Aftermath
The product initiative did not prevent the company’s subsequent geographic retrenchment and eventual discontinuation.
2022
Reduced international footprintStrategyBackground
Rapid expansion failed to meet financial expectations amid high operating costs and intense competition.
Action taken
Gorillas ended operations in Belgium, Italy, and Spain, kept only a reduced United Kingdom presence, and cancelled planned entries into additional markets.
Aftermath
The company continued operating at a smaller scale before being acquired by Getir later in 2022.
2022
Acquisition by GetirM&ABackground
Gorillas faced profitability and expansion difficulties while competing in the capital-intensive quick-commerce sector.
Action taken
Getir acquired Gorillas in December 2022.
Aftermath
Gorillas became a Getir-owned operation and continued to contract geographically before its 2024 closure.
Reported transaction value. $1.2 billion (December 2022)
2020
Adopted the dark-store ultrafast grocery modelStrategyBackground
The founders sought to deliver supermarket goods rapidly from small urban fulfillment sites rather than conventional stores.
Action taken
Gorillas launched app-based ordering, dark-store inventory, and bicycle-courier delivery with the promise of very short delivery times.
Aftermath
The model enabled rapid city-level expansion but created significant fulfillment, labor, and delivery-cost pressures.
Recent events
Tesco and Gorillas partner on rapid grocery deliveries[2]
Reported:
Tesco and Gorillas partnered to offer Tesco products for delivery within 10 minutes, establishing co-located warehouses within five Tesco stores; the first location is in Thornton Heath, London.
Knaap and Gorillas partner on grocery delivery solution[3]
Reported:
Knaap partnered with Gorillas via Urban Tricycles to provide a ten-minute grocery delivery solution. Urban Tricycles is providing a customised tricycle solution for the collaboration.
Sources3 sources
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