Gopuff
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Consumer goods, Food delivery |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Yakir Gola, Rafael Ilishayev |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia , United States |
Area served | United States, United Kingdom |
Key people | Yakir Gola (Co-founder), Rafael Ilishayev (Co-founder) |
| Products | Convenience store products, Food delivery, Alcohol delivery |
Number of employees | 5000 (2024) |
| Website | www |
GoBrands, Inc., operating under the name Gopuff, is a U.S.-based company specializing in consumer goods and food delivery, with its main office located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By 2025, it provides delivery services for convenience store products in over 500 cities, suburbs, and towns throughout the United States. The company also has a presence in the United Kingdom following its acquisition of Newcastle’s Fancy.
Established in 2013 by Yakir Gola and Rafael Ilishayev, Gopuff centers its business model on delivering convenience items online. As of May 2024, the firm was valued at $5.45 billion. It employs close to 5,000 individuals and reported revenues of $1.2 billion for the year 2023, reflecting a recent decline.
History
Based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Gopuff was launched in 2013 by former Drexel University students Yakir Gola and Rafael Ilishayev. Initially, it served as an on-demand delivery service for hookah supplies primarily aimed at college campuses but quickly broadened its offerings to include food and general convenience products. Starting from Philadelphia, Gopuff expanded operations to key metropolitan areas such as New York City, Chicago, and Miami.
In 2016, the company secured $8.25 million through Series A financing. By 2019, Gopuff obtained $750 million from SoftBank Group, accompanied by an additional $250 million commitment. That same year, it inaugurated a new headquarters in Philadelphia’s Northern Liberties district.
October 2020 marked a $380 million funding round led by Accel (company) and D1 Capital Partners, which elevated the company’s valuation to $3.9 billion. Later that year, Gopuff acquired BevMo!, a chain specializing in alcoholic beverages with 161 locations across California, Washington, and Arizona, for $350 million.
In March 2021, Gopuff raised $1.15 billion from investors including D1 Capital Partners and Fidelity Management and Research Company, pushing its valuation to $8.9 billion. The company was also recognized on CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list. In April, Betsy Atkins joined as the first independent member of the board.
May 2021 saw Gopuff acquire UK-based Fancy and form a partnership with Uber Eats to distribute its products via Uber’s platform. The following month included the purchase of Louisville’s Liquor Barn retail chain and acquisition of RideOS for $115 million to improve logistical operations.
In February 2022, Gopuff entered into a multi-year collaboration with McLaren, signaling its expanding brand influence in prominent markets.
Challenges and layoffs
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Gopuff confronted substantial challenges that resulted in several rounds of workforce reductions aimed at restoring profitability but also affecting service standards.
In July 2022, the company shut down 76 warehouses across the U.S. and laid off approximately 1,500 employees while focusing growth efforts on higher-performing sites. Another reduction occurred in October 2022 with around 250 jobs cut. By March 2023, due to driver shortages, Uber couriers fulfilled at least 4% of Gopuff orders in the U.S., with ongoing discussions about deeper integration with Uber Eats. At that point, Gopuff reduced its staff by an additional 2%, equivalent to roughly 100 workers. In 2024, the company implemented further layoffs affecting about 600 employees globally—around 6% of its total workforce.
Services and Operations
Gopuff focuses on the delivery of convenience store products, including snacks, drinks, and household essentials. In certain regions, the company also provides alcohol delivery services encompassing beer, wine, and spirits. Its operations rely on company-owned warehouses that stock a wide range of items to ensure swift order fulfillment.
The company introduced goBeer in December 2015 to facilitate beer deliveries, followed by the launch of goBooze in May 2016, expanding its alcohol delivery offerings. Both services are operated under the goBrands Inc division.
Controversies and Privacy Concerns
Gopuff has encountered notable controversies, such as allegations of improperly classifying workers as independent contractors instead of employees, breaches of labor regulations, and selling alcoholic beverages to underage customers. These challenges have led to legal actions, monetary penalties, and the loss of alcohol delivery permits in some jurisdictions.
In 2018, investigations revealed that the Gopuff mobile application was capturing user interactions containing sensitive personal information and transmitting video data to the analytics firm Appsee's platform. Appsee publicly condemned Gopuff for violating its service agreement. In response, Gopuff removed Appsee’s tracking code from subsequent app releases and revised its privacy policy to clarify possible data sharing practices.
Allegations resurfaced in 2021 accusing Gopuff of misclassifying its delivery personnel as independent contractors, thereby withholding benefits including minimum wage guarantees, overtime compensation, and unemployment coverage. This resulted in multiple lawsuits and a $6.2 million penalty imposed by Massachusetts authorities for labor law infringements.
In March 2023, the Massachusetts Attorney General imposed a $6.2 million fine on Gopuff due to employee misclassification and other violations of state labor statutes.