Australian online grocery delivery start-ups merge

Rocket Internet’s ShopWings has merged with fellow Australian online grocery shopping specialist Grocery Butler. In an official statement issued today (12 May), Rocket Internet described the deal as a “merger of equals” and added: “Operating under the brand of ShopWings based in Sydney, the combined business will further accelerate the shift from offline to online grocery shopping, operating in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.”

ShopWings will be supported by the start-up accelerator BlueChilli and remain part of the Asia Pacific Internet Group (APACIG), the joint venture between Oreedo and Rocket Internet.

Guillaume Ang, the current COO of ShopWings,  will become the CEO of the joined entity. The current CEO of Grocery Butler, Michael Parthenides, will lead Melbourne Operations. Manutea Dupont, the current Managing Director for ShopWings will, remain on the entity’s board of director along with Michael Parthenides.

One-hour grocery deliveries is ShopWings’ core offering, but the company does make deliveries for other retailers too – including IKEA and Pet Stock.