Ultrafast Grocery Delivery Service Buyk Expands to Chicago, Targets Rapid Expansion Across US in 2022

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Buyk, a real-time retail grocery delivery service that promises to deliver essential food, drink and other necessities to your door within 15 minutes with no delivery fee and no minimum spend, has announced the official launch of its service in Chicago with plans of further expansion across various US geographies in 2022.

Following its launch in New York City just three months ago, Buyk will begin operations in Chicago with 6 dark stores, bringing the Company’s total to 35 stores across both cities. In Chicago the service will initially cover the Wicker Park, Bucktown, Old Irving Park, Ravenswood, Sheffield Neighbors, and Logan Square neighborhoods. Buyk plans to open another 14 dark stores in Chicago by the end of Q1’22.

Buyk uses its proprietary technology stack combined with a network of strategically located dark stores, or new-generation microfulfillment centers, to deliver groceries and other essentials to customers’ doorsteps within 15 minutes. The service now provides an assortment of supermarket foods, fresh and tasty products from leading international brands. Buyk also aims to further expand its in-app offering to include a broad selection of Chicago’s local favorites.

James Walker, Buyk’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Chicago is where trends, especially in retail, become mainstream. This is why Buyk has chosen the Windy City as the next frontier to disrupt the way Americans get their groceries. We hope that unbeatable delivery speed and quality of products become as synonymous with our brand name as deep-dish pizza is with Chicago! We want to capture this growth momentum and bring this technology not just to big bicoastal metropolises to which so many advancements are limited in the United States. Buyk wants to take instant grocery delivery in the US inland, and our technology, smart unit economics and lean growth strategies will help make this a reality.”

Since officially launching in New York City in the fall, Buyk has become the key player in the ultrafast delivery space in record time. Buyk has put people first: both customers whose positive feedback is helping the service evolve daily, and Buykers who in the shaky realities of the pandemic, can rely on better and safer working conditions, compensation and scheduling.

Behind Buyk’s success are the efforts of its founding and executive team. Buyk co-founders Slava Bocharov and Rodion Shihskov are industry pioneers who stand behind the secret technology sauce that has allowed Buyk to rapidly and efficiently scale in the US. As co-founders of Samokat, one of Europe’s fastest-growing ultrafast delivery services and the largest operator of darkstores among on-demand grocers outside of China, they have taken what they have learned from their experience a step further: from making the user experience and backend technology smoother to maximizing the efficiency of darkstores. In addition, US food retail industry veteran James Walker joined Buyk as CEO in November, bringing over 30 years’ experience of launching ambitious projects for numerous iconic American brands.

For more information and to download the Buyk app, visit www.buyk.com.

About Buyk
Buyk is a real-time retail service that provides groceries and essential items to customers’ doorsteps in 15 minutes or faster – with no minimum spend and no delivery fee.

The company is led by CEO and restaurant industry veteran James Walker, who is supported by the founding team of Rodion Shishkov and Slava Bocharov, seasoned professionals in the industry who co-founded and ran Samokat, one of Europe’s leading ultrafast grocery delivery services. Their experience, coupled with Buyk’s tried and tested technological platform, provides a solid foundation for Buyk’s launch and subsequent expansion across the US.

The Company raised $46m from CM Ventures, Fort Ross, Citius and other investors in a recent funding round ahead of its launch.