What started in 2015 as a six‑particular person experiment in Barcelona has developed right into a supply powerhouse with over 3,000 staff, a presence in 23 markets and greater than 1 billion orders processed.
Glovo, the Spanish expertise firm now a part of Supply Hero, goals to dominate the Q‑Commerce panorama – providing groceries, restaurant meals and retail gadgets on‑demand throughout 1,800 cities in Europe, Africa and Central Asia.
In its final Sequence F funding spherical, Glovo raised €450 million to broaden throughout key markets – as reported by EU-Startups.
“Over the previous decade, we’ve reworked what as soon as appeared like a dream – clients having every thing at their fingertips, delivered in minutes – into not solely a actuality however a every day behavior and a primary want for tens of millions of individuals. With greater than 1 billion orders processed via our platform, we’re simply firstly of unlocking its full potential to redefine comfort and on a regular basis residing for the subsequent decade,” mentioned Oscar Pierre, CEO and Co-founder of Glovo.
Fast commerce, faster progress
In a decade, Glovo has reshaped city ordering habits: breakfast pickups, mid‑afternoon snacks and late‑evening necessities have all surged past the normal dinner order.
Whereas American, Italian and Asian cuisines stay fashionable, demand for native specialities – from Spanish tapas to Georgian and Arabic dishes – has grown tenfold over 5 years.
Glovo’s Q‑Commerce arm now generates over €1 billion in annual turnover, with grocery and retail classes every increasing by roughly 50% in 2024. The promise of underneath‑30‑minute deliveries underpins that success.
“Q-Commerce stays on the coronary heart of our imaginative and prescient to remodel how folks entry something of their cities, and we preserve engaged on sooner, simpler, and extra personalised experiences for our clients. By digitising groceries and scaling and diversifying our retail providing, we’re constructing the most important on-line marketplaces in city areas,” added Pierre.
Authorized storms: from fines to full employment
Nonetheless, Glovo’s speedy ascent has collided with Spain’s labour reforms.
In December 2024 the corporate introduced it could convert its roughly 15,000 riders from self‑employed contractors into salaried staff, bowing to the 2021 riders’ law and an “avalanche of hefty fines” that exceeded €200 million for misclassifying employees.
That call got here simply earlier than Pierre faced criminal proceedings for allegedly conserving riders falsely labelled as freelancers regardless of a 2020 Supreme Court docket ban on the apply.
Glovo additionally faces a competition lawsuit from Just Eat in Barcelona’s business courts, looking for €295 million in damages for unfair competitors resulting from Glovo’s hiring practices.
In the meantime, Spain’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Financial system, Yolanda Díaz praised the move toward full employee status.
Boosting SMEs – one supply at a time
Regardless of authorized headwinds, Glovo’s ecosystem has generated over €18.5 billion in income for its 150,000+ enterprise companions – 90% of that are SMEs.
Initiatives reminiscent of Glovo Native, Glovo Academy and the SME Booster marketing campaign proceed empowering native outlets and eating places with digital instruments, funding and visibility.
“Glovo has been a key accomplice in VICIO’s progress since day one. They had been the primary to consider in our mission when every thing was simply beginning, and in the present day, ten years later, we’re nonetheless constructing collectively. Because of their continued dedication and an agile, environment friendly operation, we’ve been in a position to take VICIO to the subsequent stage, now reaching over 12 cities with greater than 30 areas. This partnership has been important in making our idea shine in lots of corners of the nation. Congratulations to the complete Glovo staff on these 10 years of innovation, dedication, and success”, mentioned Oriol de Pablo, Co-founder and CEO of VICIO.
Delivering impression past commerce
Glovo’s riders have earned over €3.1 billion since 2015, and the corporate’s Couriers Pledge (now Glovo+) presents insurance coverage, bonuses and training to these couriers.
Its Influence Fund channels a portion of each order into social and environmental initiatives, with Glovo Entry serving to NGOs distribute 16 million social meals since 2020 and aiming for an additional 14 million in 2025.
“Reflecting on our first decade, Glovo has deliberately constructed a tech ecosystem that not solely powers native economies – fostering the expansion of small companies, offering versatile incomes alternatives for riders, and connecting tens of millions to important providers – but additionally embodies a elementary perception: fashionable corporations should be each financially sustainable and generate a optimistic impression on society,” emphasises Sacha Michaud, Glovo’s Co-founder and VP of International Affairs. “Our perception is that our enterprise success shall be pushed by creating actual worth for communities, driving long-term impression, and constructing extra inclusive and sustainable city residing.”
Along with this, Pierre and Michaud launched VC agency Yellow alongside Adam Lasri, a €30 million fund devoted to pre-Seed investments in Europe – as reported by EU-Startups.
Wanting forward: Regulation, accountability, and the race for relevance
Glovo’s journey over ten years has been a rollercoaster of speedy progress, innovation and authorized reckoning. Because it adapts its employment mannequin and weathers lawsuits, the corporate’s capacity to steadiness comfort, compliance and neighborhood impression will outline its subsequent decade — one 30‑minute supply at a time.
Additional studying
Enthusiastic about studying extra about Glovo’s journey? Learn a few of our key protection and hearken to the EU-Startups Podcast episode that includes Michaud.
