“For strategic business management reasons, we will no longer deliver groceries through our own warehouses in Porto. On the other hand, in Lisbon, our restructuring allows us to cover practically the entire city with stores in Avenidas Novas, Benfica, Alcântara, and Olival Basto, and a fifth store will open soon”, says Manuel Castel-Branco, head of Bolt Food in Portugal, in a report by ECO.

The decision to stop delivering groceries in Porto comes just a few months after expanding its operations to the North in February. In Lisbon, where the company had seven stores (mini warehouses from which products are collected for home delivery), Bolt Market closed the stores in Alvalade and Parque das Nações. It is now preparing to open a fifth store. “We are aiming for it to be in downtown Lisbon by the end of the year”.

“We are dedicated to fulfilling our mission of serving the Portuguese quickly and conveniently and that is what we will continue to work towards”, guarantees Manuel Castel-Branco.

Bolt's grocery delivery service entered the national market in November 2021 in Greater Lisbon, with deliveries being made through Bolt Food, and had “ambitious plans” to expand in the country. But in August 2022, as reported by ECO, the company put the expansion of Bolt Market on hold.

“At the moment, it is not part of Bolt Market's strategy to expand into new cities nationwide, and there is no scheduled date for the opening of new stores. After opening seven in the first half of this year, our focus is on consolidating and growing the business in Lisbon”, Manuel Castel-Branco, responsible for this area, told ECO at the time.

The entry into Porto took place about two years later but has now been suspended, although the company admits to returning, without giving a date. “At the moment, we do not (do grocery deliveries), but it is something we hope to change in the future”, the manager told ECO.

The company says that the decision had no impact on staff.