Dija Acquires Genie in Strategic Move

London-based grocery delivery service Dija, which has backing from Blossom Capital, Creandum, and Index Ventures, has completed the acquisition of Genie, a company originating from Cambridge, U.K.

The financial details of this transaction have not been publicly disclosed. However, the acquisition notably includes the integration of Genie’s founders, Tim Chan and Callum MacBeth, into the Dija team, alongside the transfer of company assets.

Expanding Beyond London

Having initially launched Genie within Cambridge – a city renowned for its prominent university – Chan and MacBeth will now focus on supporting Dija’s expansion initiatives beyond the London metropolitan area.

Dija was established by Alberto Menolascina and Yusuf Saban, both of whom previously held senior roles at Deliveroo. The company began operations in London earlier this month.

The Rise of On-Demand Grocery Delivery

Dija is part of a growing wave of European startups focused on providing rapid, on-demand delivery of groceries and convenience items.

These companies typically achieve this by establishing their own network of hyper-local fulfilment centres, often referred to as “dark stores,” and directly employing their delivery personnel.

This vertically integrated approach aims to enhance supply chain efficiency and improve unit economics, though proving its long-term viability remains a challenge.

Competitive Landscape

Several other companies are also operating within the dark store delivery space. These include:

• Flink (Berlin) – having secured $52 million in seed funding.
• Gorillas (Berlin) – which has raised $44 million in Series A funding and expanded into London.
• Weezy, Getir, and Zapp – all currently operating in London.
• Jiffy – anticipated to launch soon.

Furthermore, the U.S.-based unicorn, goPuff, is reportedly considering expansion into Europe and has engaged in discussions regarding potential acquisitions or investments in U.K.-based Fancy.

Dija’s Current Operations

Currently, Dija operates four warehouse hubs located in South Kensington, Fulham, Islington, and Hackney.

These hubs facilitate deliveries of grocery and convenience products within a promised timeframe of 10 minutes.

The company intends to establish 20 additional hubs, covering central London and Zone 2, before the summer months. Each hub stocks approximately 2,000 products, offered at “recommended retail prices.”

A flat delivery fee of £1.99 is applied to each order.

Statements from Leadership

Alberto Menolascina, co-founder and CEO of Dija, stated: “Our ambitions aren’t limited to inside the M25. I’m delighted that Tim and Callum are joining the Dija family to ensure more people can access this reliable and efficient service across the U.K. and Europe.”

Tim Chan, co-founder and CEO of Genie, added: “We’re excited to join forces with the team at Dija and continue our shared mission to bring everyday items to your door in a matter of minutes.

This deal will provide our existing customers with access to a wider product selection, more competitive pricing, and even quicker delivery times. We’ve received a fantastic response in Cambridge, and we anticipate extending Dija’s reach to numerous other regions throughout the U.K. in the coming months.”

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