Rapid convenience player Zapp has undertaken a major rebrand as it concentrates its focus on affluent, central London customers.
The rebrand includes a new font, logo and colour scheme, and new tagline: ‘Elevate Your Everyday’.
The decision to overhaul the quick-commerce brand “stems from Zapp’s strategic focus on premiumisation” said Alex Hough, VP of commercial at Zapp.
“Zapp has evolved to offer an elevated, premium experience,” Hough told The Grocer, with a “luxury and high-end” range featuring brands such as Daylesford Organic, LVMH, Apple, Antinori, Charbonnel et Walker, and Dr Barbara Sturm.
“The rebrand aligns our visual identity with this premium positioning and resonates with our target customers who value quality and convenience,” Hough added.
Zapp launched in late 2020 with a single dark store – or ‘Zappstore’ – in west London, and now operates several micro-fulfilment centres across the capital. It was one of a wave of rapid grocery players launching in the UK at the time, and has since survived swinging consolidation of the market which saw rivals Weezy, Jiffy, Gorillas and Fancy all acquired or shuttered. It is a relative minnow compared to surviving rapid grocers Getir and Gopuff but has prospered, Hough said, by focusing on “premium customers”.
“There are many people within London who are cash-rich and time-poor, and we’ve seen even faster growth since the end of Covid when people’s lives have become less structured. And we’ve been able to really expand and penetrate into those households,” Hough said.
In contrast, Getir and Gopuff are seeking to present better value to customers: Gopuff in August was price-beating Tesco superstores on more than 200 essentials, and Getir is regularly running major price drop promotions, such as rolling back the price of some products to their 1990s rsps. However, the strain of such efforts on the businesses’ bottom lines have started to show.
“I don’t think you can build a great business entirely in rapid delivery on missing onions and things like that,” Hough said.
The premium positioning and selection offered by Zapp has seen average order volume on the app reach £37, which Hough considered among the best in the sector. The company has been “operationally profitable” since December, he added.
“Our customer base is already ahead of our new visual identity – in a sense, this is us playing catch-up. They understand and value our unique, more premium proposition, and we are seeing this in the numbers, with really strong customer retention, increasing purchase frequency and best-in-class AOV,” he said.
In July last year, Zapp launched an in-app category ‘Zapp Boutique’ made up of luxury brands. But it also sells standard convenience essentials, recently broadening direct supplier relationships with staple brands including Fiji Water, Kimberly-Clark and Lindt, and expanding strategic partnerships with the likes of Asahi, AG Barr and Gü.
Alongside the rebrand, Zapp has launched a desktop version of its app, allowing customers to purchase products via justzapp.com – a rarity in the quick-commerce and courier delivery sector.
“We’ve always done things a little bit differently. The introduction of a desktop version is a response to customer demand for a more flexible and accessible ordering experience. We recognise that convenience extends beyond mobile devices, and some users prefer the convenience of a desktop website,” Hough said.
“It’s about meeting our customers where they are, providing choice, and enhancing the overall accessibility of the Zapp platform. Whether on desktop or mobile, our commitment to elevating every moment and delivering the best customer experience remains unwavering.”
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