Deligram acquires Shopway, shifts focus to B2B

Deligram has acquired Shopway, a startup focused on digitising the B2B trade between retailers and distributors across Bangladesh's multibillion-dollar FMCG industry.

Shopway founder and chief executive officer Firoz Uddin Ahmed will be joining Deligram as Chief Operating Officer (COO), according to a press release.

Firoz has previously worked with consumer goods distribution at Unilever and has a Business Administration and Supply Chain degree.

Shopway was founded in 2018 with a hyperlocal model that allowed consumers to order from their nearest mudir dokans (general stores) and get deliveries within an hour. The startup raised an angel round of funding and graduated from the GP Accelerator program.

Based on new features that are being rolled out to users, customers on the Deligram App will be able to find a Deligram Retailer nearby and place their weekly grocery orders via the app or simply over WhatsApp chat.

Collectively, the technology and operation teams will continue to roll out the application to thousands of distributors across Bangladesh, thereby serving hundreds of thousands of retailers, the press release added.

"The digital startup industry in Bangladesh is growing at an unprecedented rate. In order to tap into the full potential of this growth we must join forces when we are traveling in the same direction," said Mahzabin Ferdous Sharna, an investor in Shopway.

Sonia Bashir Kabir, Founder of SBK Tech Ventures & investor in Deligram mentioned, "I am proud of Deligram as they have successfully navigated through the shock waves of Covid-19. Deligram remained nimble and pivoted to face the challenges brought forth by this pandemic. The team held on to a strong company culture and a united sense of purpose which has been invaluable in helping Deligram to embrace a B2B model."

"Congratulations Deligram for acquiring Shopway, one of the best teams I've worked with in the last year through GP Accelerator. I think combining the best of forces will bring speed to the post-covid new wave of digital transformation that is indeed hitting the corner shops. This acquisition is indeed a great precedence for other startups in the ecosystem as well. I believe the B2B distribution focus is the right way to go," said Minhaz Anwar, who has worked closely with the Shopway team.