Listen "Zulzi’s Secrets to Rapid Growth and Quick Delivery - Donald Valoyi, Zulzi"
Episode Synopsis
Imagine ordering groceries and getting them delivered in 15 minutes. Well, Zulzi does just that!
In this episode, we dive deep with Donald Valoyi, the founder and CEO who's turning the retail world on its head. You'll discover:
- The secret sauce behind Zulzi's lightning-fast 15-minute deliveries
- How Valoyi navigated hypergrowth and cash flow challenges
- The game-changing strategies that keep customers coming back for more
- Insider tips on staying ahead in a cutthroat market
- The bold move that gave Zulzi total control over its supply chain
In between all of that, we hear about the challenges, triumphs and important lessons learned along the way.
----
This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.
Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/
----
To support The Founder Files:
🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE
⭐ Leave a review right here
💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts
----------
00:00 Introduction
03:52 Welcomes
04:37 Zulzi’s Business Model
06:36 Zulzi’s Founding Story
09:26 A look into one of Zulzi’s Dark Stores
11:28 Lessons Learnt From Initial Naivety
16:37 Pivoting From Electronics Into Groceries
25:33 Building Out Tech Capabilities
33:34 How To Keep Up With The Market
40:43 Overcoming Scaling Challenges
49:06 Brought To You By Metavolve
50:29 Not Being Ready For Huge Growth
57:35 Importance of Customer Experience in Scaling
58:37 Running A Founder-led Company Successfully
01:15:41 How To Build Out Management Layers
01:24:19 Transition Into Dark Stores
01:33:14 The Future Of Zulzi
In this episode, we dive deep with Donald Valoyi, the founder and CEO who's turning the retail world on its head. You'll discover:
- The secret sauce behind Zulzi's lightning-fast 15-minute deliveries
- How Valoyi navigated hypergrowth and cash flow challenges
- The game-changing strategies that keep customers coming back for more
- Insider tips on staying ahead in a cutthroat market
- The bold move that gave Zulzi total control over its supply chain
In between all of that, we hear about the challenges, triumphs and important lessons learned along the way.
----
This episode is brought to you by Metavolve.
Metavolve turns highly capable African founders into confident business leaders by helping them develop clear and comprehensive business strategies that make building a great sustainable business less complex. Reach out to our team to learn more: https://metavolve.co/
----
To support The Founder Files:
🔔 Follow The Founder Files EVERYWHERE
⭐ Leave a review right here
💭 Share your thoughts on Linkedin and tag Cameron Coutts
----------
00:00 Introduction
03:52 Welcomes
04:37 Zulzi’s Business Model
06:36 Zulzi’s Founding Story
09:26 A look into one of Zulzi’s Dark Stores
11:28 Lessons Learnt From Initial Naivety
16:37 Pivoting From Electronics Into Groceries
25:33 Building Out Tech Capabilities
33:34 How To Keep Up With The Market
40:43 Overcoming Scaling Challenges
49:06 Brought To You By Metavolve
50:29 Not Being Ready For Huge Growth
57:35 Importance of Customer Experience in Scaling
58:37 Running A Founder-led Company Successfully
01:15:41 How To Build Out Management Layers
01:24:19 Transition Into Dark Stores
01:33:14 The Future Of Zulzi
More episodes of the podcast The Founder Files
From South Africa to the World: How AURA Is Revolutionizing Emergency Response - Ryan Green, AURA
13/10/2025
How Humanity SA Built a 7-Figure Business with Zero Experience - Shaun Raaff, Humanity SA
06/10/2025
Life After the Exit: Rebuilding, Reflecting, and Investing Smarter - Ariel Navarro, OneCart
29/09/2025
Powering Africa: How Open Access Is Scaling Clean Energy, James Irons - Open Access Energy
22/09/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.