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inDrive is investing in the Kazakhstani rapid delivery service, Riadom.

The transaction was executed through the venture division known as New Ventures.
inDrive is investing in the Kazakhstani rapid delivery service, Riadom.

The global platform inDrive, which offers transportation and urban services, has made a strategic investment in the company “Rядом” – an online service for quick delivery of groceries and ready-to-eat meals in Kazakhstan, reports the business information center Kapital.kz, citing the company's press service.

As specified, the deal was executed through the venture division of New Ventures. The investment is aimed at supporting the ambitious growth plans of “Rядом” to solidify its position as one of the leaders in the rapidly growing e-grocery sector, inDrive explained.

“Rядом” was founded in 2020 by Kuanysh Ablaev and Daniyar Toymbaev as part of the ecosystem of the Kazakh company Choco Holding. The service is transforming the grocery delivery market – thanks to technology, today 83% of orders are collected and delivered within 15 minutes of payment.

The service operates a network of 19 dark stores in Almaty and Astana. Each dark store is a technologically equipped grocery warehouse, approximately 300 square meters in size, serving a nearby area within a radius of up to 1.2 km. 90% of orders are delivered using eco-friendly transport (bicycles, electric scooters).

The assortment includes over 5000 high-quality grocery items, including fresh vegetables, fruits, and ready meals. Every vegetable, fruit, and other products undergo strict selection to meet the freshness and taste standards set by “Rядом,” the company assures.

“We wanted to give people the opportunity not to go to the store, and during the summer months, our average delivery time is 13 minutes! Regarding the quality of products – from the very beginning we introduced a rule: ‘If you don’t like the products, we’ll refund your money in 1 second. No questions asked.’ About caring for our couriers – we have equipped rest rooms in each dark store where they can relax, warm up, and enjoy tea and coffee. About caring for our city – we deliver groceries using eco-transport and actively participate in the life of the neighborhoods where our dark stores are located. Together with inDrive, we want to fulfill our mission – to become the most caring company in the world,” noted CEO and co-founder of the service Kuanysh Ablaev.

Today, the service “Rядом” is available within the Choco super app, it has quickly gained popularity and secured its place in the phones of hundreds of thousands of residents of Almaty and Astana.

Our first investment in the CIS is a vivid example of New Ventures' approach to selecting partners. We rely on the unique combination of inDrive's global experience in 46 countries and the strong local expertise of the team, which allows us to identify rapidly growing companies that share our values and make a significant contribution to the development of the regional economy. We believe this partnership will not only strengthen “Rядом's” market position but also bring us closer to realizing inDrive's mission – to improve the lives of a billion people by 2030,” said the head of New Ventures at inDrive Andris Smith.

“Rядом” is changing the perception of grocery delivery in Kazakhstan, making this process more convenient and accessible for people. The company, which has already become one of the leaders in its segment, demonstrates high potential for further growth. We are confident that our support will help “Rядом” strengthen its leadership in its segment and achieve new heights of operational excellence,” noted the investment director of New Ventures at inDrive in Asia and the MENA region, Nurken Rzaliev.

The investment will allow the service to focus on developing its own brands, producing ready meals, and expanding its presence in new regions.

The deal was commented on by the founder of Choco Holding Ramil Mukhorayapov: “Together with inDrive, we want to realize our global vision of changing how people around the world buy groceries. We want to give people around the world the opportunity not to go to the store, because we will deliver faster – in 10-15 minutes. To provide people with access to high-quality products at fair prices.”

New Ventures is the corporate division of inDrive, focused on investing in high-potential startups in emerging markets. Its mission is to support companies that share inDrive's vision of improving people's lives and fighting injustice.

About inDrive

inDrive is a global platform for transportation and urban services headquartered in Mountain View, California, USA. The inDrive app is the second most downloaded ride-hailing app in the world for 2022 and 2023, with over 200 million downloads. In addition to rides, inDrive offers a growing range of urban services, including intercity and freight transport, courier and B2B delivery.

inDrive operates in over 749 cities across 46 countries worldwide.

About Choco Holding

Choco is an internet company in Kazakhstan that has created a range of digital products - the ultra-fast grocery delivery service “Rядом,” the group buying service Chocolife.me, the restaurant food delivery service Chocofood, the restaurant automation service Choco Smart Restaurants, and the doctor search service iDoctor.

Every 5 seconds, one purchase is made on Choco services.

In 2023, Choco sold its online travel services Aviata and Chocotravel to the Freedom holding for $32 million, and in 2021, its stake in the HR messenger service of Avito.

The company employs around 300 highly qualified staff, one third of whom are engaged in developing new products. The company has twice received the HR Brand of the Year award in Kazakhstan. The average salary at Choco exceeded 1 million tenge per month in 2024.