Reshaping strategies in times of crises

: the case of Gorillas Technologies GmbH

Abstract

The Covid 19 pandemic shook the world in 2020. As a result, there were many innovations, including a revolution in the retail sector. Online ordering was the new normal, and new industries were enabled by changing consumer behaviour. One example is the quick commerce industry. In 2022, however, the Ukraine war and record inflation resulted in significant market changes. Thus also a strong influence on the new quick commerce industry.The case study covers Gorillas Technologies GmbH, which brought the quick commerce industry to Europe. It looks closely at Gorillas' response to Covid-19 and how Gorillas is responding to the Ukraine war and inflation. Different strategic frameworks were used for the analysis. Moreover, a particular focus was placed on the competitive environment of Gorillas.Six semi-structured interviews were conducted for this qualitative research project to analyze Gorilla's strategies and strategy changes in detail. The case study is suitable for a variety of people interested in the food industry, e-commerce or quick commerce. The analysis revealed that Covid-19 catalyzed the rapid growth of Gorillas and the industry as consumer behaviour changed. Furthermore, it was recognized that the Ukraine war and inflation caused a complete strategic realignment of Gorillas, who is now striving for profitability instead of growth.

Date of Award	21 Oct 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Ricardo Reis (Supervisor)