Food Rocket is a Chicago-based on-demand grocery delivery startup that operates a 15-minute delivery service and uses AI-enabled technology to manage warehouse stock, forecast demand and optimize delivery routing. The company typically carries around 3,500 products and since launching in California in 2021 it sees a 60% repeat purchase rate and an average cart size of $30. Revenue has grown roughly 40% month over month. Food Rocket plans to convert dark stores into micro-fulfillment centers, launch a dark-kitchen arm for ready-to-eat items, and eventually expand to deliver items such as phones. The company says it will create over 2,000 jobs in new areas and provides full-time employment to all of its riders. Food Rocket operates a mobile app that promises 10–15 minute delivery of fresh groceries, ready-to-eat meals and household goods to neighborhoods across the Bay Area. The company is launching service in areas including SoMa, South Park, Mission Bay, Japantown and Hayes Valley. Food Rocket has publicly said it hopes to open 150 dark stores on the West Coast as part of its infrastructure. The startup raised a $2 million investment round from AltaIR Capital, Baring Vostok fund and the Angelsdeck group of business angels. Philipp Bashyan of Yandex joined the round as an investor and advisor. Vitaly Aleksandrov is the CEO and co-founder. The company is positioning itself against incumbents such as DoorDash, GoPuff, Instacart and Amazon Fresh.

Total raised

$27M

Funding rounds

2

Latest round

Series A

Latest activity

Apr 2022