Chowdeck, a Lagos-based meals supply startup that has stayed worthwhile in a notoriously robust and low-margin market, has raised $9 million in Sequence A funding to launch a fast commerce technique and develop into extra cities in Nigeria and Ghana.
The fairness spherical was led by Novastar Ventures, with participation from Y Combinator, AAIC Funding, Insurgent Fund, GFR Fund, Kaleo, HoaQ, and others. The buyers are betting on the crew’s capacity to pair native market experience with execution and switch a notoriously tough sector right into a worthwhile tremendous app for meals, groceries and necessities.
“We’re thrilled about this spherical because it brings us nearer to our imaginative and prescient of turning into Africa’s primary tremendous app,” CEO and co-founder Femi Aluko mentioned. “This funding will supercharge our development plans, enabling us to develop into extra cities, cut back supply occasions, scale our grocery footprint, and entice one of the best expertise to drive innovation and buyer satisfaction.”
Based in October 2021 by Aluko, Olumide Ojo, and Lanre Yusuf, Chowdeck now operates in 11 cities throughout Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million clients with a community of greater than 20,000 riders. Its logistics system averages half-hour per order, and in dense areas, greater than half of deliveries arrive by bicycle.
Whereas distinguished gamers have exited or scaled again their African operations, Chowdeck has leaned into the complexity of native markets—delivering native meals, an operationally more durable problem—to construct belief with clients.
In 2024, the worth of meals delivered by means of Chowdeck grew greater than sixfold from the earlier 12 months. This 12 months, the corporate says it handed its 2024 complete earlier than July.
The brand new funding will assist Chowdeck roll out fast commerce, ultra-fast supply backed by a community of darkish shops and hyperlocal logistics hubs. The corporate plans to open 40 darkish shops by the tip of this 12 months and 500 by the tip of 2026, with two to a few new shops launching every week. Chowdeck raised a $2.5 million seed spherical final 12 months.
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Meals supply is a crowded enterprise globally, however when performed nicely, it has led to another massive firms like DoorDash.
Fast commerce, then again, has been a capital-intensive gamble in most markets. In Europe, Gorillas and Getir burned by means of lots of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} earlier than retreating or consolidating. In India, platforms like Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy have had various ranges of success with the mannequin with regards to profitability.
Chowdeck has been worthwhile since earlier than this elevate and Aluko says the corporate doesn’t enter cities or verticals with out planning to interrupt even inside a few weeks.
As an illustration, the meals supply platform entered neighbouring Ghana this Might. Inside three months, it was dealing with 1,000 each day orders with out paid promoting, which, in accordance with Aluko, got here from pent-up demand for a service that delivers native favorites alongside worldwide cuisines. The corporate goals to quintuple that quantity to five,000 each day orders by the tip of September 2025.
Aluko says Chowdeck plans to use the identical playbook to darkish shops, which can complement its restaurant and grocery supply operations.
One other vertical complementing these operations might be software program. This June, the YC-backed startup acquired Mira, a point-of-sale supplier for African meals and hospitality companies. Mira’s instruments handle stock and orders in actual time; now, it’ll assist Chowdeck optimize its operations, positioning the corporate as a vertical SaaS-plus-logistics supplier for eating places.
Chowdeck’s elevate is a win for native gamers within the sector, after Jumia’s exit left market share to overseas manufacturers comparable to Glovo, Bolt Meals, and Yango. But, a few of these firms have additionally withdrawn from sure markets, together with Nigeria and Ghana, which Chowdeck is now concentrating on aggressively.
Tremendous apps comparable to Gozem, YC-backed Yassir, and MNT-Halan are different native firms providing meals supply companies in different African markets.
“The market continues to be very early,” Aluko mentioned. “Buyer habits is shifting on-line for the primary time. A complete era is rising up ordering meals with out ever having walked into a few of the eating places or markets on our platform.”
For lead investor Novastar Ventures, the wager is on execution and native perception. “Chowdeck is constructing the way forward for logistics for African cities,” mentioned companion Brian Waswani Odhiambo. “With deep native perception, a sustainability-first strategy, and spectacular execution, it’s redefining last-mile supply on the continent.”
