Gopuff Adds Hot, Fresh Meals to Its Offerings
As Gopuff builds its vertical structure, it’s adding a kitchen. The delivery service company will offer hot and fresh foods as part of its lineup of groceries and everyday essentials.
Ready-to-eat “Gopuff Kitchen" items will span all dayparts and will be made using Gopuff’s own recipes and ingredients from local partners. Offerings include both healthy and indulgent items and range from fresh breakfast sandwiches to prepared pizzas and salads to fresh brewed coffee.
The meals, snacks and drinks will be made in mobile kitchen facilities within or adjacent to 20 of Gopuff's micro-fulfillment centers around the country, including the city hubs of San Antonio, Miami, Philadelphia and Phoenix, along with Austin, Texas; Tampa, Fla.; Nashville, Tenn.; and Tempe, Scottsdale and Mesa in Arizona. The company plans to add more prepared foods kitchens by the end of the year.
The Gopuff kitchen concept is unique in that food preparation areas will consist of an all-electric fleet and utilize clean cooking methods without open flames, propane gas or fryers and no combustion in cooking or climate control processes. The modular design is also set up for nimble menu and equipment adaptation.
“With today’s news, Gopuff is launching a completely new category and raising the bar on how technology is making our lives more convenient,” said Daniel Folkman, Gopuff’s SVP of business. “Today’s milestone represents a new way of thinking about the instant needs economy and will redefine consumer expectations.”
Gopuff’s expansion into fresh foods follows last year’s acquisition of the app-only coffee shop Bandit. The acquisition propelled Gopuff’s kitchen operations, which are now spearheaded by Bandit’s co-founder.
Philadelphia-based Gopuff, which was founded on a college campus in 2013, has served as a resource for students across the country to access instant delivery of everything from over-the-counter medicine and cleaning products to food, drinks and school supplies. The company currently operates more than 450 sites, including more than 275 micro-fulfillment centers and 185-plus acquired BevMo!, Fancy and Liquor Barn locations.
