Bolt Meals stop Nigeria by December 2023 after two years however has thrived in Ghana for over 4, outlasting Glovo and Jumia Meals. Now, Nigeria’s Chowdeck, with over 1 million customers in three years, is increasing to Accra, testing Bolt Meals’s maintain on a market Statista initiatives will attain $291 million by 2029. But, Bolt Meals Ghana’s basic supervisor, Ali Zaryab, calls Chowdeck’s entry “wholesome competitors” that might sharpen their edge.

“Since we’re the one large participant out there, buyer expectations are a lot larger,” Zaryab stated in an interview, including that Bolt Meals had anticipated the entry of a distinguished various since Glovo exited the market in 2024. Zaryab additionally sees it as a possibility to establish if there are methods to enhance Bolt Meals’s companies and keep market management,” he stated.

Chowdeck didn’t reply to requests for feedback.

Zaryab wonders if Chowdeck’s reliance on unique restaurant partnerships characterised by reductions and steep advertising prices can climate Accra’s thin-margin, smaller market—Accra’s inhabitants is round 5 million, and Lagos is about 3 times that. Bolt Meals, he says, thrives on value effectivity in an trade squeezed by courier charges, cost processing, and overheads.

“We’re delicate about unit economics,” Zaryab defined. “If a deal doesn’t make sense, we will all the time get off the desk and shake fingers.” Other than conserving prices down, it additionally issues that the corporate can constantly pull in a variety of orders; quantity offsets prices.

Bolt’s technique hinges on broad vendor choice, excessive service high quality, and reasonably priced however viable pricing. From June 2021, it quickly expanded throughout Accra, including eating places and, in 2024, over 200 non-food distributors like pharmacies and retailers. Supply hours stretched to 7 AM–11 PM, with 24/7 service in 10 zones. He additionally shared that the corporate is utilizing synthetic intelligence know-how to enhance person expertise on the platform. Nonetheless, Zaryab declined to share income, order quantity, and person base numbers.

In Nigeria, Chowdeck has grown from 319 customers in 2021 to over 1 million by October 2024, with 750,000 customers gained after it inked two consecutive partnerships with the Hen Republic deal. In August 2023, when it first partnered with the meals chain, Glovo was the one different startup allowed to ship orders from the restaurant chain. By August 2024, that partnership grew to become unique to Chowdeck, locking out alternate options in Lagos and Ibadan; the primary deal elevated order quantity by 250%, in accordance with The Condia. 

Unique partnerships are a confirmed tactic, however trade specialists have criticised their sustainability. Jumia Meals and Opay’s OFood used them to construct belief in Nigeria, however a meals supply startup founder who requested to stay unnamed to talk freely warns they’re pricey, with chains demanding steep promotional budgets and gross sales targets. 

Fast-service eating places could co-invest, but critics like Jumia CEO Francis Dufay, who shut down Jumia Meals throughout all markets, stated firms that publicize promotional reductions are “burning cash to develop and purchase market share.” Furthermore, there’s the chance that they entice price-sensitive customers who soar to cheaper rivals, threatening long-term stability.

Chowdeck CEO Femi Aluko instructed TechCabal in November 2023, three months after saying its first partnership with Hen Republic, that every supply earnings with a 25% take charge. He doubled down in April 2024: “We cost what a supply’s value and pay riders practically the identical.” 

The corporate doesn’t share public financials to substantiate internet revenue, however the declare underscores that regardless of fashionable opinion, Chowdeck has its eye out for value effectivity.

Apart from Zaryab’s scepticism, it seems like each BoltFood and Chowdeck share DNA: concentrate on broad vendor alternatives (eating places, grocers, pharmacies), add-ons of different revenue-driving like logistics and ads, and a resilience edge; Bolt outlasted deep-pocket meals supply opponents in Ghana, and Chowdeck did so too in Nigeria.  

This can be an actual contest for the books, particularly since Zaryab says it’s welcoming Chowdeck’s metropolis growth with open arms.