Consumer News
Happy 7th Birthday, Gopuff!
Gopuff has come a long way over the past seven years. Here are some facts on how we’ve saved our customers’ days
November 19, 2020
In the wise words of Betty White, “The older you get, the better you get. Unless you’re a banana.” While Gopuff is not a banana, we are turning a year older this month. Since our founding in November 2013, we’ve maintained a customer-obsessed mindset that has guided everything we do, from the products we carry to how we interact with our customers.
To celebrate our nearly-half-a-dog-century birthday, we’re sharing some statistics on how we’ve grown over the years. Here are seven key facts about Gopuff to celebrate seven years of saving the day:
When Gopuff was born in 2013, we served part of Philadelphia through one micro-fulfillment center. Today, we have over 200 micro-fulfillment centers serving 500 cities nationwide
The world around us is changing every day. In 2020, we’ve found ourselves surrounded by thoughts such as “Wait, Tiger King was this year?” and, “I didn’t know I could have that delivered!” While both are totally mind-blowing, the latter is more consequential in our daily lives.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many Americans have come to rely more heavily on getting their restaurant meals, groceries, home essentials and more delivered. With Gopuff now serving areas from Miami to Memphis and Manchester, New Hampshire to McAllen, Texas, customers nationwide can get the items they need—easily, safely and without leaving the comfort of their homes.
Simply put, we don’t believe delivery is the way of the future—we believe the future is already here. Customers will continue to use the digital services that have made their lives easier over the past eight months. While Gopuff’s growth tells a story of a changing shopper mindset both before and during the pandemic, we expect the future to be full of similar adjustments. What will Gopuff do next?
Gopuff’s average delivery time is 7 minutes faster than it was in 2017, despite fulfilling nine times more orders this year (and counting)
The times are a-changin’. When Gopuff was founded in 2013, the instant needs category did not yet exist. Customers were left wondering, “If I don’t run out to the store, how will I get what I need?” While Gopuff did not invent delivery, it did change the way many of us think about what we need and how we plan to get it. What would your day look like if you could get what you need from the local market, pet store and pharmacy at the same time without leaving your couch?
Gopuff’s ability to decrease the amount of time between having a need and getting it fulfilled with minimal effort has lowered the stakes of the shopping trip. We enable our customers to expand their horizons and brands to capitalize on fewer hindrances to the purchase decision—a win-win for all involved.
Customers are on their second glass of La Marca Prosecco when Chris Harrison hands out the final rose, and they didn’t miss a moment to get their bottle of bubbly. Brands become instantly associated with delight, relief and satisfaction. While good things come to those who wait, better things come to those who Gopuff.
In 2020 alone, Gopuff customers have eaten nearly 6 million Reese’s cups
Mac and cheese. Corona and lime. Pineapple and pizza (embrace debate). Some food and drink pairings just stand in a class of their own. In the spirit of that, we want to take a moment to recognize one of the greatest pairings of all time: peanut butter and chocolate.
Our friends at Hershey’s have truly perfected the chocolate-to-peanut-butter ratio in creating one of America’s most popular confections. In fact, Reese’s Cups King Size are our most ordered chocolate product of the year. If there’s a wrong way to eat a Reese’s, our customers haven’t found it yet.
It’s no secret that people like to treat themselves. But what does treating yourself look like in 2020? When the coronavirus outbreak began in the United States, Gopuff observed radical changes in consumer behavior. Among these was an increased willingness to look toward indulgence for comfort in uncertainty.
Gopuff’s most indulgent categories (chocolate, ice cream, and candy) all experienced double-digit order growth in each of the final 2 weeks of March and the 1st week of April 2020. Essentially, when faced with an uncertain reality, consumers turned to tried-and-true favorites to help ease their tensions.
Over the course of the year, we’ve seen customers show an increased willingness to purchase products that are healthier or that promote feelings of “wellness.” However, in addition to purchasing these items in the year ahead, we believe that shoppers will always keep their favorite indulgences nearby. As Charles Schulz once said, “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Gopuff didn’t carry ice cream when it was founded in 2013. Since then, we’ve sold nearly 19 million servings of Ben & Jerry’s alone.
The Champion of Chunks. The Sultan of Swirls. The Patriarch of Pints. Words simply cannot describe the majesty of Ben & Jerry’s. Perhaps some numbers on both the Count of Cones and ice cream as a whole can get us there:
No. 1 bestselling ice cream in the United States
No. 1 most ordered brand on Gopuff
69 unique Ben & Jerry’s products offered on Gopuff
Ben & Jerry’s has seen a 120% sales increase on Gopuff vs. the first ten months of 2019
Ice Cream is the No. 3 search term on Gopuff in 2020
Gopuff customers have eaten nearly 3 million pounds of ice cream in 2020
America’s two best friends have been there for us through it all: breakups, birthdays, binge-watches, you name it. As of November 2020, our customers have come to order ice cream once every five seconds. Every day is Sundae in the world of Gopuff.
As with the indulgence purchases mentioned above, customers have recently sought out ice cream as a way to combat the stress and anxiety of everyday life. In the words of one Gopuff customer, “I made major trips to the grocery store for a month’s supply of groceries and used Gopuff extensively in-between. Things like snacks, ice cream, toilet paper and cleaning supplies were items I ended up ordering consistently.”
Welcome to 2020, where ice cream can be mentioned in the same breath as toilet paper and cleaning supplies as a key item that no household can live without. The pandemic has shifted the consumer mindset to reconsider wants and needs, and to reexamine the role that our favorite brands play in our daily lives.
When we started in 2013, we sold 50 different products. At present, Gopuff sells nearly 3,000 products across locations (and that number is growing every day)
Gopuff started as a way to put an end to the corner store run. As such, our product assortment consisted of the types of things your average early 20-something would look for: Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Coca-Cola and Twix, among other favorites.
While we serve many moments for a fast-growing customer base, we’ve also expanded our assortment to meet their unique needs. Recent years have ushered in new categories like Grocery, Home and Cleaning, Pet Food/Treats and Quick Meals.
To all of our long-time Philly customers out there: Did you ever think you’d be able to get Federal Donuts, Simply Good Jars or Bassetts Ice Cream delivered to your door before Netflix even asks you if you’re still watching?
More than just products, Gopuff provides peace of mind. Our constantly evolving business model allows us to be nimble enough to meet ever-changing customer demands without losing our unique value proposition. Essentially, no matter the need, Gopuff can deliver.
Whether it’s an impromptu taco night, a college football home-gate or a Saturday spring cleaning, Gopuff has the agility to make it happen.
The Gopuff of today does not look like the Gopuff of yesterday. The Gopuff of tomorrow may not look like the Gopuff of today. But no matter what form Gopuff takes, we will always be there to save the day for our customers, any day of the week.
In 2020 alone, Gopuff has sold enough beer to give a drink to everyone in New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago combined
Alcohol delivery has taken the nation by storm this year, as noted by headlines such as “People are buying more booze online than ever before” (CNN) and “Online alcohol sales may see permanent rise as coronavirus alters shopping habits” (Food Dive).
On Gopuff, that’s translated to a 141% same-store alcohol sales increase versus 2019, led by triple-digit gains among most beverage types. Interestingly, white wine and sparkling wine have seen the largest sales increase, each gaining more than 200% compared to last year.
Gopuff has long been a hotspot for evergreen favorites like White Claw, Bud Light and other mass-market canned alcoholic beverages. However, the intense growth of wine and spirits on our platform may indicate a maturation of the alcohol delivery consumer, as we see young, urban parents ordering Kendall Jackson Chardonnay for movie nights and busy professionals ordering Tito’s Handmade Vodka to unwind after a long week.
With a majority of states now allowing alcohol delivery to an increasingly digitally minded population, it’s only natural that the range of need states in which these products are ordered will also grow with the times.
A Gopuff loyalist in Philadelphia has placed over 1,000 orders
As in the case of this individual, not all heroes wear capes. Customers like this millennium club member from Philadelphia are the reason why we do what we do. Whether it’s providing baby food at 3 am, delivering the perfect game day snack spread or just bringing peace of mind to an anxious time, there’s a Gopuff moment for everyone. How will you Gopuff today?
Of the many lessons 2020 has taught us, one in particular stands out: It’s not easy to predict the future. While it’s impossible to know what the next seven years will hold, we know one thing for certain: Gopuff will adapt to consumers’ ever-evolving demands on our journey to becoming the world’s go-to solution for immediate everyday needs. We are grateful for all of your support thus far, and look forward to exceeding expectations in the years to come.
Now let’s party. Cheers to seven years!