Glovo Kenya Says Orders Rose 40% as App Shopping Grows

In Short

Glovo said orders in Kenya rose 40% last year as more people used apps for groceries, meals, and everyday goods.

The company shared the update at its inaugural Future of Commerce Summit in Nairobi, and showed AI powered shopping tools.

What Happened: Glovo Growth In Kenya And New AI Shopping Tools

Glovo said it currently operates in 12 towns and cities in Kenya. It has more than 6,000 merchants and over 2,200 riders active daily.

Glovo said businesses on its platform have generated more than Sh20 billion in sales since it entered Kenya in 2019. It added that about 80% of that value has gone to small and medium sized enterprises.

At the summit, Caroline Mutuku, Glovo’s country managing director for Kenya, said consumer expectations are changing. “Today, a customer wants convenience, choice, and the ability to access everyday products seamlessly without necessarily visiting a physical store,” she said.

Glovo said it is betting on artificial intelligence to drive its next phase of growth. The company described its in app AI assistant as a tool that integrates language models such as ChatGPT and Claude, and lets users type what they want in plain language instead of scrolling through menus.

The company also said this shift is opening the platform to non food brands. It pointed to consumer electronics maker oraimo, which it said has seen stronger visibility through Glovo’s search tools.

Why It Matters: Quick Commerce Competition And Expansion Plans

Glovo said it committed earlier this year to invest a further Sh10 billion in Kenya by 2030 to expand into more towns beyond Nairobi.

The company said it is pushing its quick commerce model across Africa, and noted the Nairobi summit followed a similar event in Lagos in April.

In Kenya, Glovo faces competition from Uber Eats and Bolt Food, and from retailers building their own delivery services.