Greek start-up Pop Market believes that it can potentially go head to head with major supermarket players in a few years’ time, as consumer habits change. Stephen Wynne-Jones met its CEO and co-founder, Takis Malavetas. This article first appeared in ESM March/April 2022.
With the quick-commerce sector becoming increasingly crowded, sometimes it helps to stand out. With its bright-pink branding and 15-minute delivery promise, Greek start-up Pop Market certainly knows how to get itself noticed, but behind the vivid marketing, there’s a powerful engine, which CEO and co-founder Takis Malavetas believes has the potential to make a serious dent in the Greek grocery landscape – and potentially other markets, too.
“Food delivery has been going on for many decades in Greece. When I was a little boy, you could call up your local souvlaki restaurant and get a delivery within ten or 20 minutes,” Malavetas tells ESM. “With the growth of the Internet, Greece has embraced new delivery trends, and, at the same time, we have a big share of wallet that goes into food and grocery. So, with me coming from Greece and knowing this space really well, it was a good place to start.”