Rungo, One of Ethiopia’s Largest Liquor Distributors, Enters Ecommerce Space

Rungo Liquors, one of the largest liquor distributors in Ethiopia, has strategically entered the e-commerce sector with Rungooo Delivery.

The platform, launched three months ago aims to address the myriad challenges faced by traditional beverage purchasing methods and enables consumers to buy products at distribution prices with free delivery.

“We observed a growing trend of online shopping and a desire for more convenient ways to purchase beverages,” Olivier Poujade, Partner at Rungooo Delivery told Shega in a written statement.

Rungooo’s platform introduces a host of features, including personalized recommendations, real-time pricing updates, and a mobile-optimized interface. “Our aim is to emulate the modern liquor shop experience online, fostering a community where consumers can interact with their favorite brands in a meaningful way,” Olivier noted.

Rungooo aims to address a market that is proliferated with parallel and counterfeit products. Through its direct integration with the official distributors of these products in Ethiopia, Rungooo guarantees original items.

Moreover, as beverages are directly delivered from the distributors, customers are offered distribution store prices.

“At Rungooo, we guarantee that our online prices will always match those of the official distributors’ stores, such as Rungo or The Wine Tribes,” Olivier added.

Founded in 2014 by Teame Nagis, an entrepreneur with extensive experience in the liquor business, Rungo Liquor is the official distributor for brands like Diageo (featuring Johnnie Walker, Gordon’s Gin, Tanqueray), William Grant & Sons, and wine brands from France (Bordeaux), Italy (Bottega), South Africa, among others.

“Our network spans close to 10 shops strategically located in Addis Ababa and several key regional capital cities across Ethiopia,” Olivier told Shega.

Developing the e-commerce platform, which took nine months, was a collaborative effort between Rungooo’s internal team and Avetol, a local streaming platform. Currently, the platform boasts over 20 liquor brands, 10 wine options, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.

Addressing logistics, Olivier revealed that Rungooo’s fleet consists of eight electric vehicles, ensuring one-hour delivery within a 5km radius of Addis Ababa.

“As we look forward to expanding our delivery services beyond these hours, we are also mindful of adapting to various challenges, such as the temporary motorbike ban during major city events like the African Union Summit or the Adwa celebration,” noted Olivier.

While these adaptations may necessitate adjustments in their pricing strategy in the future, Rungooo states that for now, delivery within the specified radius and operating hours remains free of charge.