Chowdeck Optimizes Operations and Expands into Ghana Amid Rapid Growth

Nigerian food delivery startup Chowdeck, has been streamlining its operations to enhance efficiency and reduce reliance on manual processes.

“As we were growing very fast last year, we had to hire a lot of contract people to help handle various operational tasks,” said Aluko. “In the last two months, we’ve optimized many of those processes, allowing us to significantly reduce the number of contract employees needed.”

These operational improvements have primarily focused on reducing delivery times, which have dropped from an average of 41 minutes to 33 minutes. Additionally, a team that once required 24 staff members can now function efficiently with just two.

Despite the workforce reduction, Aluko emphasized that the decision was not driven by financial distress. The Nigerian food delivery startup, which raised a $2.5 million seed round in 2024, continues to experience explosive growth. As of March 3, 2025, Chowdeck surpassed 10 million deliveries, with six million occurring in just the last nine months.

Chowdeck’s improved efficiency has also accelerated its expansion strategy. In January 2025, the company launched operations in Kaduna and Owerri and is now preparing for its first international expansion with a beta launch in Ghana next week. A country manager has already been appointed, and the company plans to maintain a lean team while leveraging its refined operational model.

Initially, Chowdeck will only operate in Accra, following its strategy of launching in high-potential cities before expanding further. “Even though we’re launching in Ghana, our focus is solely on Accra for now. Just because we are live in Ghana doesn’t mean we’ll expand to Kumasi immediately,” Aluko explained. “We approach expansion from a city-by-city perspective, ensuring we double down on cities where we’ve achieved product-market fit.”

Chowdeck’s optimizations have not only improved service efficiency but have also cut down expansion timelines significantly. While it previously took three months to launch in a new city, the company can now do so in just a week with its Owerri launch reportedly completed over a weekend.

With streamlined operations and a clear expansion strategy, Chowdeck is positioning itself as a dominant player in Africa’s food delivery market.