The food delivery arena is crowded and well-funded. Where many startups in this space attempt to separate from the pack through rapid market, product, or category expansion, Chicago-based Foxtrot looks to win with less.
The app delivers a curated selection of beer, wine, food, and everyday essentials. And it's the curation - and the simplicity that comes with a more focused, quality-driven list - that differentiates Foxtrot from its competitors. Users can be in and out of the app in minutes or they can browse items via creative sections, like today's 'Air and Water Show' that has ingredients for a Dark and Stormy or a Flying Scotsman.
And though the curation element focuses on a few, select items, the product team is doing a lot with the "less" model. Foxtrot will be unveiling a new version of its iOS app within the next month and it'll be available on Android. They'll also be bringing the delivery component in-house, hiring their own drivers. This new feature will allow Foxtrot to serve it customers later than its current 10PM cutoff-time and expand into new neighborhoods.
But most importantly, controlling this element of their product allows the company to guarantee a cohesive, pleasant experience and be more than just a transactional platform.
"We were surprised by the success of the 'Today' section, our random daily picks that yields more discovery," said Co-Founder and CEO Mike LaVitola. "It kind of validated our thought that people wanted more out of this product than just a checkout cart."
Right now, Foxtrot is focused squarely on the Chicago market. The company operates out of Industrious, a River North shared-space, and they're a graduate of Chicago Booth's 'New Venture Challenge.' Also, the product's value lies in the quality of its curation, which is difficult to fake.
"I was in school here. We know the city, the vendors; we know what's good. That's critical when building a custom menu."
It also helps that Chicago's cold for ten months out of the year. And with "busy season" around the corner - unfortunately - Foxtrot has even bigger announcements on the horizon.
