A lesson by Inge Boonen

About Glovo

Glovo, initially a food-delivery service only, has significantly broadened its scope and impact in the delivery industry. It is now a multi-category delivery service that has made strategic moves to specialize and optimize its operations, exemplifying the delicate balance between expansion and consolidation. 

This Spanish-based company, launched in 2015, has blossomed into a multi-national player in the on-demand economy, servicing many cities across Europe, Western Asia, and Africa, signaling its broad reach and cultural adaptability.

The platform's strategic pivot to include food delivery has positioned it as a formidable competitor to industry giants such as Uber Eats and Deliveroo.

In addition to food delivery, Glovo has ventured into other domains. The company's Q-Commerce service, which stands for quick commerce, rapidly delivers a wide range of products, including pharmaceutical items, leveraging its app-based ordering system. This diversification has been part of Glovo's broader efforts to support local communities and small businesses, particularly during challenging economic times, as evidenced by the Glovo Local initiative aimed at helping small enterprises thrive.

Moreover, Glovo has shown a commitment to social impact through programs like Glovo Access, which has delivered over two million meals to vulnerable populations and completed over 480,000 orders with a social purpose by 2024. These initiatives reflect the company's ethos of leveraging its logistical prowess for community support.

Glovo’s International Expansion

Language Capabilities and Market Reach

Operating in 25 countries and over 1,300 cities, Glovo navigates the complexities of language and localization by communicating in 21 languages. This capability has enabled Glovo to create cross-cultural connections, ensuring local relevance while maintaining a global presence. The company's growth is reflected in its impressive Gross Transaction Value (GTV), with significant contributions from key European markets like Spain, Italy, and Portugal. This strategic focus on select markets and linguistic adaptability has been central to Glovo's success in becoming a top provider in the European delivery market.

Strategic Consolidation and Geographical Focus

Glovo's strategic exit from the Latin American market by selling its operations to Delivery Hero for €230 million was a pivotal move, sharpening its focus on select European markets where it has established itself as a leading delivery service provider. This decision underscores Glovo's commitment to excellence and innovation, particularly in markets such as Spain, where it is headquartered, indicating a strong presence. The company's comprehensive delivery services, which notably include a significant focus on grocery delivery alongside traditional food delivery, highlight its dedication to diversifying offerings and enhancing customer satisfaction.

In targeting metropolitan areas with less competition, Glovo's city-centric approach and pragmatism shine, especially in countries like Armenia and Georgia. These markets offer growth potential and the opportunity for technological advancements, such as the introduction of machine translation for product catalogs in Georgia, which significantly increased orders.

About the interviewee: Stefania Russo

With Italian roots, Stefania Russo's remarkable 18 years in the localization industry have made her an expert in content and localization. Her career indicates that her educational choices were thoughtfully aligned with her passion, leading to her outstanding professional achievements that she tirelessly built upon.

At the onset of her career, Stefania earned her industry stripes with companies like Computer Associates (now Broadcom), where she started as an in-house Italian language specialist. Then she moved to the language service provider side, working for companies like TransPerfect and Acolad.

She later brought her talents to the forefront on the customer side with respected companies such as FedEx and Booking.com in Amsterdam, expanding her knowledge of digital landscapes and scaling localization programs through technology.

In The Netherlands, Stefania actively stepped into a leadership role within Women in Localization, serving as a Chapter Manager for two years.

Back in Barcelona, Stefania joined Glovo in July 2021 as the Head of UX Content, where she has led both the Localization and the UX Writing team since then.

TL;DR

Glovo has become a key player in the delivery industry, with a strong focus on localization and user experience.

The company's strategic use of automated translation has improved its service offerings in various markets, leading to increased order conversions and a better understanding of the importance of localization at the executive level.

Fast facts

Included in this Lesson in Localization

• About the Company
• Glovo’s International Expansion
  • Language Capabilities and Market Reach
  • Strategic Consolidation and Geographical Focus
• About the Interviewee
• TL;DR
• Fast Facts
• Table of Contents
• Program Overview
  • Organization
  • Culture of the Team
• Supply Chain/Vendor Management
• Technology
• Glovo's Success Story with ModernMT and Translated
• KPIs
• The Future

Special thanks to Stefania Russo for sharing her insights with us.

This Lesson in Localization was prepared by Nimdzi's Inge Boonen. If you wish to learn more, reach out to Inge at [email protected].