The Rise of Quick Commerce: A Closer Look at Glovo’s Strategy

Published August 7, 2025 · Original on LinkedIn

Quick commerce (Q-Commerce) is changing how we shop and receive everyday products. It’s all about getting groceries and essentials delivered in 10–30 minutes — often from small local warehouses called dark stores. One of the most active global companies in this space is Glovo.

What is Q-Commerce?

Q-Commerce is a new approach to fast delivery. It works through dark stores — small warehouses in the city that are not open to the public, but fully optimized for fast picking and delivery.

Glovo’s Strategy

Glovo started building its own dark stores called Glovo Express in 2021. [1]
By the end of 2024, Glovo had opened 90+ dark stores in Spain, Italy, Romania, Georgia, Kenya, Morocco and other regions. [2]
In March 2025, Connie Kwok (ex-Amazon, Bain) joined Glovo as VP of Q-Commerce, showing how serious the company is about this model. [3]

The Idea Behind the Dark Stores

⚡ Speed: Closer to customers, faster picking and order preparation
📦 Inventory: Glovo owns the inventory and manages product selection
💰 Better margin: Glovo earns not just from delivery but also from sales

Dark stores make Q-Commerce more efficient and sustainable. By operating small warehouses near customers, companies like Glovo can reduce operating costs, improve inventory accuracy, and minimize order cancellations. This setup also increases last-mile efficiency, as couriers can be based near fulfillment points rather than spread across the city. As a result, delivery times are faster and more predictable, leading to higher customer satisfaction and stronger brand loyalty.

What About Central Asia?

Glovo launched a dark store in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan back in 2023. As of 2025, it is still operating and improving. [4]
I did not find any official mention of this location in global press releases or strategy updates from Glovo, possibly because it’s a small-scale local operation.
I also found no confirmation of dark stores in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan or other Central Asian markets (as of August 2025).

Why Central Asia Could Be a Fit

Growing cities with traffic congestion
High smartphone usage
Low competition in online grocery
Lower operating costs compared to Europe

This makes Central Asia a potentially strong region for future expansion.

Final Thought

Glovo is not just a delivery app. It is building a new kind of urban infrastructure for fast retail. The dark store model offers more speed, control, and revenue. And while Central Asia is still not in the spotlight, first steps are already happening — and there’s room for much more.

References

Disclaimer

This article is based on publicly available information as of August 2025. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, some details — such as the status of Glovo’s operations in specific markets — may not be officially confirmed or may have changed since publication. The author does not represent Glovo and has no insider access to the company’s strategy or internal data.