PhowdeckA lake -based food delivery startup that has remained profitable in a Market notoriously hard and low marginHe has raised $ 9 million in Funds A to launch a fast trade strategy and expand to more cities in Nigeria and Ghana.
The capital round was directed by Novastar Ventures, with the participation of and Combinator, AAIC Investment, Rebel Fund, Gfr Fund, Kaleo, Hoaq and others. Investors are betting on the equipment of the equipment to match the experience in the local market with the execution and convert a notoriously difficult sector into a profitable application for food, edible and essential elements.
“We are excited about this round, since we bring us closer to our vision of becoming the Super Application number one of Africa”, CEO and co -founder Femi Aluko Saying. “This financing will supercharge our growth plans, which will allow us to expand to more cities, reduce delivery times, climb our footprint of groceries and attract the best to boost innovation and customer satisfaction.”
Founded in October 2021 by Aluko, Olumide Eyeand Lanre YusufChowDeck now operates in 11 cities in Nigeria and Ghana, attending 1.5 million customers with a network of more than 20,000 passengers. Its logistics system averages 30 minutes per order, and in dense areas, more than half of the deliveries arrive by bicycle.
Although prominent players have left or reduced their African operations, ChowDeck has inclined to the complexity of local markets (local elimination meals, a stronger challenge in operation) to generate confidence with customs.
In 2024, the value of meals delivered through ChowDeck grew more than six times compared to the previous year. This year, the company says it approved its total of 2024 before July.
The new financing will help ChowDeck launch a fast trade, ultra quick delivery backed by a network of dark stores and hyperlocal logistics concentrators. The company plans to open 40 dark stores at the end of this year and 500 at the end of 2026, with two or three new stores that are thrown every week. Phowdeck Raised $ 2.5 million Seed round last year.
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Food delivery is a business full of people worldwide, but when it is done well, it has taken other large companies such as Washing.
Quick Commerce, on the other hand, has a bet with capital disorder in most markets. In Europe, Gorillas and Getir Burned through hundreds of millions or dollars before retiring or consolidating. In India, platforms such as Blink” Zepto and Bouquet They have had different levels of success with the model when it comes to profitability.
ChowDeck has a profitable bone since Raise and Aluko says that the company is not cities or verticals without planning to reach the balance point in a couple of weeks.
For example, the food delivery platform He entered neighbor Ghana this May. Within three months, I was driving 1,000 daily orders No paying advertising, which, according to Aluko, came from the accumulated demand of a service that offers local favorites along with international kitchens. The company aims at 5,000 daily orders for the end of September 2025.
Aluko says that ChowDeck plans to apply the same play book to Dark stores, which will complement their restaurant and groceries delivery operations.
Another vertical complementary thesis operations will be software. This June, The startup backed by YC acquired MiraA point of sale supplier for African food and hospitality businesses. Look tools manage inventory and orders in real time; Now, it will help ChowDeck optimize its operations, positioning the company as a vertical supplier of SaaS-Plus-Logistics for restaurants.
ChowDeck’s increase is a victory for local players in the sector, After Jumia’s departure He left market share of foreign brands such as Glovo, Bolt Food and Yango. Still, Some of the companies They have also retired Of certain marketsIncluded Nigeria and Ghana, to which Chowdeck is now heading aggressively.
Super applications like Gozem, support of YC Yassirand MNT HALANO They are other local companies that offer food delivery services in other African markets.
“The market is still very early,” said Aluko. “Customer behavior is changing online for the first time. A complete generation is growing ordering foods that have ever entered some of the restaurants or markets on our platform.”
For the main investor Novastar Ventures, the bet is in execution and local information. “ChowDeck is building the future of logistics for African cities,” said partner Brian Waswani Ohiambo. “With a deep local vision, a first sustainability approach and an impressive execution, is redefining the delivery of last mile in the continent.”
