Remy Robotics Launches Better Days Robo-Delivery
Remy Robotics Launches Better Days Robo-Delivery
Fin sustainable delivery, Bolt exits Nigeria + S. Africa, top ordering apps
We’re closing out the week with something cool — a new robot-powered delivery concept, now live in Queens! We also explore a new sustainable delivery concept, rank some apps, and check in with Bolt as it checks out of Africa. And a special round of applause to our sponsor (check ‘em out below!)
This week’s edition is brought to you by Cambridge Mobile Telematics.
Today:
Remy’s Robots Roll into NYC’s Delivery Scene
Fin — Sustainable Logistics for London
Chart Time | Top Restaurant Ordering Apps
Bolt Flees South Africa, Nigeria
STARTUPS | Remy Robotics Launches Better Days Robo-Delivery
Remy Robotics just debuted its new brand — Better Days — offering robot prepared meals for delivery. While CEO Yegor Traiman just cut the ribbon on a Queens, NYC location, the company also revealed it had secretly been operating for two years: preparing meals at CloudKitchens locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Paris and New York. The company has prepped over 100k meals, earning 4.7 out of 5 stars in the process, and offering items like $3.95 stewed lentils and $11.95 teriyaki salmon meals. The health and cost conscious brand is not only available on all three of the major delivery platforms, they’ve got a first party app as well.
The Big Picture: The new brand has compared its ambitions to that of McDonald’s, which are some big shoes to fill. While Remy may be affordable compared to other health food brands, the jury is still out on if Americans want miso corn as much as they desire a Big Mac. The company has launched previous brands — like flexitarian-focused OMG — that have yet to gain mass traction. With other robotic food prep companies like Picnic, Vebu and Karakuri either quietly shedding staff or outright shutting down, Remy has a long path to proving its viability.
PARTNER | Save Money and Make Drivers Safer
Insurance costs are skyrocketing for gig companies. In 2022, Uber’s insurance costs increased by $1.4B from 2021. Lyft’s insurance costs increased by $670M, contributing 90% to its increase in cost of revenue. To help reduce insurance costs, companies are turning to telematics. They’re making drivers safer through real-time feedback and rewarding their safest drivers.
OPERATIONS | Fin Blazes Sustainable Delivery Trail in London
London-based Fin has quickly established itself as a leader in sustainable delivery, peppering the UK capital with quadracycle style delivery vehicles, complemented by electric vans for the less bikeable suburbs. Not only is the system green, it often gets deliveries to their destination faster than traditional traffic-bound methods. That’s let the startup sign on customers like Grind Coffee, as well as a few international retail behemoths. Also clever — the company rents out its warehouse space during the day, letting others use the square footage that it only needs when its vehicle fleet is parked at night.
The Big Picture: London has been far ahead of any American city in incentivizing green delivery. Besides having narrow streets, its also implemented a city-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone, making it expensive to operate a traditional particulate-spewing vehicle in the city. While cities like New York are tinkering with congestion charges that will also encourage smaller vehicles, consumer preference may also push brands towards greener fleets. 65% of consumers have considered the impact their package delivery will have on the environment; 58% said environmental impact factors into decisions about having their packages shipped; and 79% are open to seeing package carriers transition from gas-powered to EVs.
CHART TIME | Top Restaurant Ordering Apps
PYMNTS has a new monthly ranking of top restaurant mobile order-ahead apps, and there’s a surprise winner: Dairy Queen! The ranking criteria include loyalty and rewards program integrations, number of active users each month, average time users spend on the app and the number of ordering options. Chipotle comes in at six, McDonald’s at 11, and Chick-fil-A at 12.
3PD | Bolting out of South Africa and Nigeria
Delivery and ordering platform Bolt Food is exiting the Nigerian market on December 7th, two years after entering, as it looks to “streamline our resources and maximise our overall efficiency as a company.” The company had delivered over one million orders for 10,000 restaurants. One day after that, the company will leave South Africa, a market it’s operated in since April of 2020.
The Big Picture: Other players in Nigeria consist of Jumia Food and Gokada, while South African competitors include Uber Eats and Mr D Food. Bolt Food, the delivery arm that Estonia-based ridehailing platform Bolt launched in 2019, will continue to operate in approximately 17 other countries, with an emphasis on Central and Northern Europe.
A Few Good Links
Amazon to resume grocery expansion, remodel existing stores. Aurora to operate autonomous trucking highway lane between Dallas and Houston. Clover Food Lab bankrupt. SF shoplifting falls below pre-pandemic levels. Associated Wholesale Grocers partners with Upside. DoorDash drafts up veteran employment stats. How grocers can drive off-site ecommerce sales. BK and Popeyes franchisee Carrols swings to a $12.6M profit. CKE picks GuestXM. Blue Apron issues going concern warning if Wonder buyout fails.
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