Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
GoPuff to begin deliveries in W. Chester
On-demand service brings snacks, drinks, household items to your door
“We like to say our target audience is anyone who needs convenience in their lives. It might be a college student studying for final with a craving; or a new mom stuck at home with a sick child who just ran out of milk.” — Liz Romaine, goPuff director of communications
Life is about to get a little bit more convenient in the West Chester area.
goPuff — a digital convenience retailer — is expanding into Chester County this week, adding service to the West Chester area starting Monday, Dec. 17.
The brainchild of two Drexel University graduates, goPuff brings convenience store items to your door — at (just about) any time of day.
The service is already in more than 50 markets — meeting spur of the moment (and late night) needs for items like ice cream, soda, snacks, school supplies, cold remedies and household goods like toilet paper and paper cups.
“By accessing the goPuff app or website, customers can scroll through more than 3,000 products and have them delivered right to their door,” said Liz Romaine, director of commu-
nications for goPuff. “Think 7-11, in terms of the kinds of items you can order.”
To use goPuff, a customer can download the goPuff app, set up an account and determine whether the service delivers to their specific area, Romaine added. Items are available in several categories, including: snacks, beverages, groceries, household goods, OTC, personal care, school supplies, pet supplies and more. There is a flat $1.95 delivery fee.
“One way we differentiate ourselves from other delivery services is that we control the experience, Romaine said.
The company owns all of its warehouses around the country and has partnerships with big companies like Unilever and Hershey’s to carry their products, according to Romaine.
“We keep inventory stocked in our warehouses — we don’t go out and buy it as needed. We know we have the items in stock. We pick the items from the warehouse and the driver delivers them,” Romaine added.
goPuff has acquired a location on Carter Street near West Chester University, according to Romaine. It is stocked, like warehouses in 40 other cities across the country, with more than 3,000 items.
“When we select a warehouse location, we want it centrally located. The West Chester industrial center is easy to get in and out of quickly,” she added.
goPuff got its start five years ago when co-founders Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola were Drexel University students.
“They lived in a house with a bunch of guys. One had a car, and he was constantly driving people around. They thought, ‘there had to be an easier way’ to have access to these items,” Romaine said. “They drafted the idea for the app in a business class, and three months later they started delivering snacks to campus.”
goPuff began by delivering 50 basic products before pivoting the company to a full convenience store and alcohol delivery service in 2014. Today, the brand operates in more than 40 major U.S. markets including Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh and Seattle.
“goPuff’s mission is to create more time in the day for our customer by consistently redefining the very meaning of convenience to provide a high-quality experience at an exceptional value,” Ilishayev said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to bring that experience to West Chester and deliver the moments that matter most to this vibrant community.”
While goPuff started on a college campus, and is popular among college students and millennials, Romaine said it’s not just for college students.
“We like to say our target audience is anyone who needs convenience in their lives. It might be a college student studying for final with a craving; or a new mom stuck at home with a sick child who just ran out of milk,” she said, adding that the trend is convenience. “We have the items they want and need. We’re popular among those who need convenience.”
Among the most popular items on the goPuff site are: pet food, school supplies, snacks including Flaming Hot Cheetos, Nerds Rope, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, Takis Fuego chips and Mexican Coke.
“We sell a lot of ice cream,” Romaine said.
The most popular delivery day is Sunday, and 9 p.m. to midnight is the most popular time. The average delivery time is about 30 minutes, she added.
2018 has been a year of significant growth, according to Romaine, who said goPuff started the year with 23 locations and now has more than 50. While there are no specific numbers for 2019, “we expect to ramp it up more.”
Romaine said people are responding to what she calls a “new generation of convenience.”
“And we’re innovating,” she said. “We’re able to transform the experience. It’s being able to redefine what convenience means — having it in your hands while you’re on the phone.”
She added that people are becoming brand ambassadors.
“People are going to cities where goPuff is available, using the service and then going home and asking for it.”
Just last month, goPuff announced that it will build a bigger headquarters in Philadelphia, and will add 10 warehouses and 500 employees. That announcement was made in conjunction with Governor Tom Wolf.
“goPuff is a great example of how Pennsylvania’s strengths in aspects like education and businesses development have led to a climate where startups thrive,” Gov. Wolf said in a press release. “My administration is committed to providing the support needed by companies like goPuff as they grow.”
goPuff will invest $4 million in a multi-stage expansion plan centered on the construction of a new 30,000-square-foot headquarters in Philadelphia. In addition to the new warehouses, six existing warehouses will be expanded. The new headquarters will provide more than 150 new, full-time jobs, while the new and expanded warehouses will create approximately 400 jobs over the next three years.
According to Romaine, the company currently employs about 500.
goPuff received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development for a $400,000 Pennsylvania First grant with phased distribution contingent on job creation. The project was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team, a group of economic development professionals that works with businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania.
goPuff hours of operation are from 12 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. and 24/7 in some cities. In select cities, goPuff also offers beer, wine and liquor. For more information, visit www.gopuff.com or www. facebook.com/gopuff/