Lezzoo

Lezzoo is an Iraqi technology and delivery company that operates an on-demand commerce platform in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The business launched in Erbil in February 2018 under the name Lezzoo Eats, founded by Fastwares, Yadgar Merani and Rekar Botany. The word Lezzoo combines the Badini Kurdish word “Lez” and the Sorani Kurdish word “Zoo,” both associated with speed; together, the name conveys the idea of being very quick. The “Eats” portion was later dropped as the company expanded beyond restaurant delivery. The service originally focused on ordering meals from restaurants and delivering them to customers. It subsequently developed into a broader digital hypermarket and services platform, connecting consumers with restaurants, grocery stores, pharmacies and other local merchants. Its stated purpose was not only to make ordering more convenient but also to give smaller regional businesses an additional sales and distribution channel. The platform has offered restaurant menus, groceries, pharmaceutical products, water, gas and a range of household and personal services. Lezzoo’s operating model combines software, merchant relationships and a local delivery network. Food and ordinary retail orders can be delivered by couriers using cars and scooters, while water and gas require heavier vehicles. Reported platform availability included more than 100,000 products and over 700 stores, although these operating figures are time-specific and may have changed. Customers have been able to use the service through iOS and Android applications. The company became notable in Iraq’s startup ecosystem after being accepted into the Y Combinator accelerator in 2018. It graduated from the program in December of that year and received a reported pre-seed investment of $150,000, becoming the first Iraqi startup to participate in the accelerator. In July 2020, Lezzoo announced a seven-figure seed financing round led by Northern Gulf Partners and Pay It Forward, described in contemporary reporting as the largest seed round in Iraq at that time. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the importance of delivery and essential-goods logistics. During the Kurdistan Regional Government’s curfews and restrictions on business activity in spring 2020, Lezzoo expanded its role in delivering groceries, water and gas. It also promoted protective measures for couriers, including masks and sanitizing supplies. The company added at-home COVID-19 follow-up checks to its medical services and offered disinfection and sterilization services. It reported a 25 percent increase in orders in May 2020 compared with January and stated that it was processing close to 50,000 orders per month by June. Lezzoo also introduced Lezzoo Pay, a digital wallet intended to reduce reliance on cash payments and support purchases such as prepaid cards. In the same period, it reported a partnership with Carrefour. These developments reflected a strategy of turning a food-delivery service into a broader “super-app” covering commerce, logistics, payments, healthcare-related services and household maintenance. Publicly available reference material establishes the company’s presence across Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Kirkuk and Zakho, but does not provide reliable current information on ownership, later financing, financial performance, executive changes or operations outside the Kurdistan Region.

Lezzoo was established in Erbil in February 2018 by Fastwares, Yadgar Merani and Rekar Botany. It initially operated as Lezzoo Eats, a restaurant-ordering and food-delivery service designed for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The name was later shortened to Lezzoo as the company moved beyond meals into a wider range of consumer services. The company’s expansion was shaped by the logistical conditions of its home market and by the limited digital infrastructure available to many local merchants. Rather than remaining a conventional restaurant-delivery application, Lezzoo sought to build a digital hypermarket through which restaurants, shops and other local businesses could reach consumers. Its catalog grew to include groceries, pharmacy products, water and gas, alongside household services such as laundry, cleaning, sanitization and garden maintenance. The platform also introduced healthcare-related services and express delivery. Lezzoo entered the international startup ecosystem in 2018 when it was accepted into Y Combinator. It completed the accelerator program in December and received a reported $150,000 pre-seed investment. This made it the first Iraqi startup associated with the program. In 2019, co-founder and chief executive Yadgar Merani reported that the company’s network was handling at least $700,000 in cash gross merchandise volume. The COVID-19 pandemic became a major operational turning point. Government curfews and reduced office hours created difficulties between March and May 2020, but the same restrictions increased the value of delivery infrastructure. Lezzoo positioned itself as a channel for groceries and other necessities, including water and gas. It said that drivers were supplied with masks and sanitizers and that the company was following public-health guidance. In April, the service added at-home COVID-19 follow-up checks and disinfection and sterilization offerings. In May 2020, Lezzoo reported a partnership with Carrefour and said that orders had risen by 25 percent compared with January after healthcare and essential-goods features were added. By June, it reported handling nearly 50,000 orders per month and had launched Lezzoo Pay, a digital wallet intended to replace cash payments and support prepaid-card purchases. In July, the company announced a seven-figure seed financing round led by Northern Gulf Partners and Pay It Forward. Reference material places Lezzoo’s operations in Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Duhok, Kirkuk and Zakho. The platform has been described as offering more than 100,000 products from over 700 stores. Deliveries are made through cars and scooters for ordinary orders, with heavy-duty vehicles used for water and gas. Public sources supplied for this entry do not establish the company’s current ownership, current executive team, later funding history, financial condition or whether its geographic footprint has changed.

• 2020

  Pandemic service expansion

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  Lezzoo expanded essential-goods logistics and added at-home COVID-19 follow-up, disinfection and sterilization services.

• 2020

  Lezzoo Pay launches

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced a digital wallet intended to reduce cash payments and enable prepaid-card purchases.

• 2020

  Seed financing announced

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  Lezzoo announced a seven-figure seed round led by Northern Gulf Partners and Pay It Forward.

• 2019

  Reported cash GMV milestone

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  Yadgar Merani reported at least $700,000 in gross merchandise value circulating through the delivery and accounting network.

• 2018

  Lezzoo launches in Erbil

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  The company was founded in February and began as Lezzoo Eats, focusing on restaurant ordering and food delivery.

• 2018

  Y Combinator participation

  [1]Lezzooen.wikipedia.org

  Lezzoo graduated from Y Combinator in December and received reported pre-seed funding of $150,000.

A Kurdistan-focused super-app combining food delivery, online grocery and pharmacy shopping, essential-goods logistics, digital payments and selected household and healthcare-related services.

• Digital commerce and delivery platform · 2018

  Lezzoo super-app

  Lezzoo’s main consumer platform aggregates restaurant ordering, groceries, pharmacy products, essential-goods delivery and selected household and healthcare-related services. It has been available through iOS and Android applications and is supported by local merchants and a regional courier network.

• On-demand food delivery · 2018

  Food delivery

  The original service allowed users to browse restaurant menus, place meal orders and receive deliveries through Lezzoo couriers. Food delivery remained the foundation of the brand even as the company expanded into broader commerce and services.

• Online retail delivery

  Grocery and pharmacy delivery

  The platform expanded into grocery and pharmaceutical ordering, connecting consumers with local stores and pharmacies. Reference material describes a catalog exceeding 100,000 products and a merchant network of more than 700 stores at the time reported.

• Essential-goods logistics

  Water and gas delivery

  Lezzoo added delivery of water and gas as part of its essential-goods offering. These orders use heavier vehicles than ordinary food and retail deliveries because of the weight and handling requirements.

• Digital payments · 2020

  Lezzoo Pay

  Lezzoo Pay is a digital wallet introduced in 2020 to reduce dependence on cash transactions within the service. The offering also supported the purchase of prepaid cards.

• 2020COVID-19 essential-services response

  Kurdistan Region of Iraq

  During government curfews and reduced operating hours, Lezzoo promoted delivery of groceries, water and gas as a way for customers to obtain necessities while limiting travel. It also communicated that couriers had access to masks and sanitizers.

  Outcome. The company reported a 25 percent increase in orders in May compared with January and said it was processing close to 50,000 orders per month by June.

  Source

• 2020

  Expansion into healthcare and household servicesStrategy

  Background

  COVID-19 restrictions increased demand for remote ordering and created a need for delivery and hygiene services.

  Action taken

  Lezzoo added at-home COVID-19 follow-up checks, disinfection and sterilization, as well as broader essential-goods delivery.

  Aftermath

  The company reported increased order activity and reinforced its positioning as a multi-service platform.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch of Lezzoo PayProduct launch

  Background

  The company’s delivery and accounting network had previously involved substantial cash circulation.

  Action taken

  Lezzoo introduced a digital wallet to support cashless payments and prepaid-card purchases.

  Aftermath

  The launch extended Lezzoo’s scope from ordering and logistics into payment services, although later adoption data is not established by the supplied sources.

  Source

• 2020

  Reported Carrefour partnershipOther

  Background

  Lezzoo was expanding its grocery and essential-goods marketplace during the pandemic.

  Action taken

  The company reported entering a partnership with Carrefour.

  Aftermath

  The partnership was presented as supporting Lezzoo’s grocery and digital-commerce offering; the supplied material does not specify its terms or duration.

  Source

• 2018

  Shift from Lezzoo Eats to a broader Lezzoo platformStrategy

  Background

  The company began as a food-ordering and delivery service but sought to address wider logistics and retail needs in the region.

  Action taken

  It removed “Eats” from the brand name and expanded into groceries, pharmacies, essential goods and local business services.

  Aftermath

  The brand became positioned as a digital hypermarket or super-app rather than only a restaurant-delivery service.

  Source

1. 1Lezzooen.wikipedia.org