C-Store Chain Foxtrot Raises $17M To Expand Delivery Options

Foxtrot, looking to put a new spin on the classic counter convenience store, offers craft beer, natural wines and several of its own brands of sandwiches, meals and coffee, according to reports.

The company, which was founded in 2013, also offers customers the opportunity to buy in-store or order online for delivery, in a bid to reinvigorate what has mostly been an untapped area of delivery services.

Foxtrot announced on Wednesday (Feb. 5) a $17 million growth round co-led by Imaginary and Wittington Ventures, with other investments from Fifth Wall, Lerer Hippeau and more.

The company offers on-demand delivery of everything it offers from its app. It also boasts a loyalty program that can net customers free delivery for a month if they spend more than $100 at Foxtrot, either online or in-store.

Foxtrot is currently based in Dallas and Chicago, but there are plans to expand elsewhere. In addition to their own brands, they also offer an array of familiar food and beverage products like Oreo and Bud Light, as well as some everyday products like Bounty paper towels. The company works with around 100 brands in total, offering roughly 800 different products at their stores.

According to the company, Foxtrot is doubling its year-over-year growth and has seen 150 percent growth of its eCommerce customer base, with the revenue split about evenly between in-person and online sales.

Foxtrot’s in-store staffers are W2 employees, though its couriers are contractors.

Founder and CEO Mike LaVitola said one of the company’s biggest challenges has been navigating the differences between running a successful convenience store and an online delivery business, as the two have entirely different requirements. He said the goal is to ensure that Foxtrot’s customers see “the same brands and the same ecosystem,” whether they are online or in the physical store.

Foxtrot’s use of online delivery is one of many attempts to reimagine classic retail, as customers demand convenience and on-demand control for their purchasing needs.