Russia-backed grocery app Fridge No More abruptly stops deliveries

One other 15-minute grocery supply app bites the mud.

Fridge No Extra, which was supported partially by Russian buyers and supplied fast deliveries in New York Metropolis and Boston, abruptly despatched its 600 workers house Wednesday night and stopped accepting orders.

The shutdown was resulting from an absence of funding and doubtlessly associated to US sanctions on Russia, sources mentioned. 

“Fridge No Extra stops its operations tomorrow,” a Fridge No Extra supervisor wrote in a Slack channel on Wednesday night, in line with screenshots shared with The Put up. “All of firm’s buyers [sic] refused to speculate into the corporate. Sadly I wish to notify everybody with unhealthy information.” 

As of Thursday morning, Fridge No Extra’s app displayed a message to would-be clients: “SORRY WE’RE TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE,” attributing the shutdown to “technical points.” 

The information comes lower than per week after one other fast grocery supply app with Russian ties, Buyk, abruptly suspended operations and furloughed 98% of its workers, as first reported by The Put up. 

Buyk attributed the suspension each to US sanctions on Russian banks in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine — in addition to restrictions on Russian cash leaving the nation that had been imposed by President Vladimir Putin. The corporate now says it’s seeking to promote itself, increase American cash or declare chapter.

Buyk
Buyk abruptly shut down final week.
Noam Galai

“It simply occurred at Buyk final week so we already knew the story,” a Fridge No Extra worker informed The Put up. “Proper now the workers all thinks that it’s due to the battle.” 

The abrupt nature of the shutdown left “everybody irate,” the worker mentioned.

Fridge No Extra’s co-founder and CEO, Pavel Danilov, is from Russia. And the corporate’s buyers embrace Altair Capital, a enterprise capital fund led by investor Igor Ryabenkiy with operations in Russia, the US and Israel. 

Fridge No Extra didn't reply to a request for remark and has not launched any statements in regards to the shutdown. 

Fridge No More
The abrupt nature of Fridge No Extra’s shutdown left “everybody irate,” an worker mentioned.
Courtesy of @fridgenomore

“As a result of a whole lot of their funding comes from abroad, major Russia, they only obtained hit by the identical circumstances,” Brittain Ladd, a retail advisor who’s an adviser to fast supply corporations, mentioned of Buyk and Fridge No Extra. “Sources inside Fridge No Extra have confirmed to me that they’ve misplaced their funding due to occasions in Ukraine.” 

“Buyk misplaced the flexibility to function as a result of that they had no funding,” Ladd added. “Fridge No Extra is mainly the identical kind of firm. It’s a Russia-founded firm, It’s a Russian investor-backed firm.”

In obvious bids to save lots of themselves, executives from each Fridge No Extra and Buyk have spoken to Doordash and Grubhub in latest months about doubtlessly being acquired, sources mentioned.

As Fridge No Extra workers scrambled for extra details about Wednesday’s shutdown, they circulated a screenshot of what gave the impression to be an electronic mail from Danilov to members of higher administration a few “deal timeline” with Doordash. 

“I perceive that each one of you could have already had interviews with Doordash (DD) group and presently you might be ready for the suggestions,” Danilov apparently wrote. “Employment with [Fridge No More] ends for everybody, together with myself, on March thirty first… Employment with DD begins on April 1st for individuals who acquired and accepted their gives.” 

However the Put up couldn't affirm the authenticity of the e-mail and a supply near Doordash mentioned that “it's not true” that Doordash is shopping for Fridge No Extra.

Even with the demise of Buyk and Fridge No Extra, the fast supply house in New York Metropolis continues to be crowded. Remaining corporations embrace Gorillas, Gopuff, Jokr and Getir.

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