WWW.QNS.COM RIDGEWOOD TIMES OCTOBER 21, 2021 19
THE RACE TO DELIVER
apps taking over New York City
Yorkers need exactly when they need
them.”
The company made its fi rst foray in
the city in May, Dimini said, making
deliveries in Bushwick and Downtown
Brooklyn. It has expanded rapidly in
the following fi ve months, operating
more than 11 warehouses citywide
and delivering to wide swaths of
Manhattan, Long Island City and Williamsburg,
with plans to open more in
the coming weeks — including one in
Prospect Leff erts Gardens on Oct. 30.
“Each Gorillas warehouse is strategically
located to target a specifi c neighborhood,
reaching a dense population,”
he said. “We only place a warehouse
if we feel fully confi dent that we can
deliver to the specifi ed radius on time.
That said, larger neighborhoods have
two warehouses if necessary, and
customers must physically be within
range of one at the time of ordering.”
When setting out for expansion,
JOKR used a tool that broke down “the
whole world” by population density and
food and drink consumption, Trerotola
said, then picked out the most attractive
markets. High population density is
critical for their business model since
each hub delivers to such a small area.
“We largely are targeting young
adults to young families, I would say
ages 23-40,” Trerotola said. “People
who, at some point, need convenience
and speed in their life. Anything from
families who are busy and don’t have
the time to cook for their children to
the young professional who is trying
to put together a recipe and doesn’t
have the time to go grocery shopping
for that last-minute ingredient.”
Dimini said Gorillas endeavors to
tap into local knowledge to familiarize
themselves with a city and begin
community engagement.
“This process entails thorough
research into each neighborhood we
enter, from as broad as the customer
demographic to as specifi c as the busiest
intersection in the neighborhood,
all for the purpose of off ering an assortment
of groceries that refl ect the
specifi c needs of a community.”
BUSINESS MODELS
If the expansion of Fridge No More,
which started operations in Brooklyn
just a year ago, is any indication, shoppers
won’t have to wait long before they
have their pick of delivery apps.
The app, which raised more than $15
million in funding last April, now delivers
to nearly all of Manhattan, from
143rd Street to Thames Street, as well
as Long Island City, Astoria and Brooklyn
neighborhoods from Greenpoint to
Prospect Leff erts Gardens.
Both apps also carry products from
much-loved local businesses. Customers
buying groceries from JOKR can
add Flatbush-based Justin’s Nut Butter
to their cart, and Gorillas off ers meat
and charcuterie from Brooklyn Cured.
Neither app has a minimum purchase
threshold and JOKR doesn’t
charge a delivery fee. Gorillas’ is
nominal, at just $1.80 per order.
Trerotola said JOKR’s prices are
comparable to a traditional grocery
store, if not a little bit lower.
JOKR buys directly from the source,
Trerotola said, oft en in bulk and at a
discount. With fewer overhead costs
because of the smaller footprint of the
micro-warehouses versus a large grocery
store and more control over their
stock and food waste, he said, they can
pass on the money they save to their
customers.
“I think we set out, as any startup
does, with a fairly aggressive roadmap
on expansion,” he said. “It was yet to be
seen whether this was something that
took off in a city like New York where
you already have so many convenience
items.”
“To my shock, I think we’ve grown
faster than we ever expected. The demand
has outpaced what we expected,
and I think it has really shown there
is a product market fi t here, and that
people do demand more convenience
in this world, especially when it comes
to grocery shopping.”
Our next story in The Race to Deliver series
will include comparison shopping between
these grocery store apps and items sold at
traditional grocery stores and supermarkets.
One of the Fridge No More locations is on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope.
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