Homegrown Business: Eugene Bisovka, Co-Founder of Tiggy

Tiggy is B.C.’s only ultrafast delivery app that provides free 15-minute delivery of fresh produce, groceries, healthcare items, gifts and more, including Health Canada-approved rapid COVID-19 antigen tests. Tiggy launched in Vancouver last fall and is gaining popularity. We talked to the co-founder of Tiggy, Eugene Bisovka, to find out more about this unique delivery service.

Tiggy

What is your business called and what does it do?

Tiggy is B.C.’s only ultrafast delivery app that provides free 15-minute delivery of fresh produce, groceries, healthcare items, gifts and more, including Health Canada-approved rapid COVID-19 antigen tests.

We launched in Vancouver last fall and have been rapidly growing our customer base ever since with people using our rapid service more frequently every week. With Tiggy, customers can order exactly what they need, when they need it instead of buying a long list of food items at the grocery store each week.

We don’t charge any delivery fee, have any markup costs, or subscription fees. This is a key differentiator because there are no catches with Tiggy! We are also very committed to supporting local. B.C. brands. Currently, you can shop local brands like Avalon ice-cream, Buck buckwheat ice cream, Earths own dairy-free milk, Granola Girl gluten-free granola, Happy Planet juices and smoothies, Island Gold free-range eggs, Mumgry nut butter, Oat of the ordinary gluten-free instant oats, New World Foods Organic organic nut butters, Nora’s plant-based ice cream, Two Rivers meat, Tality Kombucha organic craft kombucha, Terra Breads, and more.

We offer nearly 2,000 items and growing, across the following categories: Ready-to-Eat, Breakfast, Bakery, Fruits & Berries, Vegetables, Healthy Alternatives that includes a growing assortment of plant-based, keto and organic options; Dairy & Eggs, Cheese, Meat including plant-based meat alternatives; Seafood, Sweets & Snacks, Beverages; Pantry that includes oils, sauces and spices, Pasta, Pharmacy including vitamins, supplements, over the counter medications and first aid products; household cleaning and supplies, personal care, and gifts.

What made you want to do this work?

There has been a growing demand for fast and high-quality service that needed to be fulfilled. I was motivated to start Tiggy so that people can spend more time doing things they love rather than wasting time and energy for trips to grocery stores with heavy bags and then queuing to purchase essentials that could be otherwise delivered by Tiggy in minutes.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

The pandemic has increased the appetite for online grocery delivery for Canadians. Consumers are increasingly looking to order their groceries online now more than ever before. There is also no other company that delivers reliably within 15 minutes. Larger grocery delivery players are only able to accommodate delivery in 30 minutes to an hour right now – and some have been outed to have hidden fees or high minimum orders.

There’s room for Tiggy because there are no hidden fees, or subscriptions required and our model offers consistency and service that people can rely on.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our product line-up and service are great for everyone but what we are finding is that we appeal to the urban, working demographic who is looking to get their groceries delivered to their doorstep at the click of a button, without all the hassle and planning. We provide them with the ultimate convenience for any meal from breakfast, to lunch to dinner and everything in between.

We’ve become a replacement for food delivery apps for many of our customers to help them save money while also eating better!

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Our goal is to provide customers with an unmatched ultrafast grocery shopping experience. We build our own micro fulfillment centers and design them as compact warehouses for operational efficiency. We stock a wide assortment of handpicked products, and we have our own experienced cyclists that facilitate fast and reliable deliveries. Our model is based on mass vs. markups, that’s why people save with Tiggy and why Tiggy is able to offer prices that are on par with grocery stores.

Tiggy’s proprietary technology was created by developers with extensive experience in Europe’s already-established ultrafast delivery space. The result is an app, and a sophisticated back-end inventory and procurement system that’s faster than web-based platforms most Canadian grocery delivery companies are currently using.

The positioning of our micro fulfillment centers allows us to take shorter trips to serve a greater customer base, as we are primarily focusing on densely populated neighbourhoods. This gives Tiggy a competitive edge to deliver to our customers within 15 minutes and on a growing assortment of products.

Where in Vancouver can we find your profession?

See a map of our delivery areas on our website under Vancouver here.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

Question – What differentiates Tiggy from the other delivery apps?

Answer – Tiggy’s ultra-fast and high-quality services are its key differentiating factor. This is only achievable through Tiggy’s control of the entire value chain. In most cases, similar grocery delivery operators have a dedicated network of riders who spend at least 30-45 minutes to get to the store and as operators, they don’t own any inventory which compromises their ability to promise that the goods will be in stock or the freshness will be preserved. Tiggy’s micro fulfillment centers are designed as compact warehouse that delivers an unmatched ultrafast grocery shopping experience.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part about what we do is contributing towards reducing food wastage by offering a service that helps reduce bulk buying. We are also helping our customers save their in-store grocery shopping time to replace it with other activities that are important to their lives – like friends, family, projects, etc.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

The delivery guy accidentally got us 3 extra bags of flour They were not kneaded.

What are your social media channels?

Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Vancouver business that you love?

We are committed to supporting B.C. businesses as well as those that embrace sustainable practices. Every day, we are in conversations with local business owners in an effort to bring more amazing brands aboard.

We also employee over 150 employees in Vancouver and are always on the lookout for people who want to be part of a business that offers room to grow and a chance to be part of a company that’s changing the way people live and eat for the better by reducing gas emissions, food waste and the stress associated with planning ahead.