Instashop

instashop (Arabic: إنستاشوب) is an online marketplace in the UAE and Egypt, with its headquarters in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Founded in 2015 as an online grocery delivery platform, in August 2020, instashop was acquired by Delivery Hero. In March 2025, instashop was fully acquired by talabat, Delivery Hero’s MENA subsidiary.^[1][2][3][4]

instashop

Company type	Private Company
Industry	E-commerce
Founded	2015
Founder	Ioanna Angelidaki, John Tsioris
Headquarters	Swiss Tower, JLT, Dubai UAE
Area served	UAE Egypt
Parent	talabat
Website	instashop.com

Overview

instashop was founded in 2015 in Dubai by 2 Greek entrepreneurs, Ioanna Angelidaki and John Tsioris, and is currently led by its CEO, Nikola Cabarkapa.^[3][5][6]

The company's app-based service allows users to order a wide range of daily essentials from supermarkets and local neighborhood retailers, offering both instant and scheduled delivery options.^[7][8][9]

Since its inception, instashop has expanded its network to include various local retailers across different shopping categories, such as pharmacies, butcheries, fresh produce markets, pet shops, flower shops, restaurants, bakeries, beauty shops, organic stores, electronics outlets and more.^{[10][9][11][12]}

Beyond its Business-to-customer (B2C) service, instashop also operates as a business-to-business (B2B) service, generating revenue through commissions paid by the shops it delivers from.

History

During the second half of 2015, instashop negotiated its first fund-raising. The first round was around $365,000 in seed, while the public reached $750,000.^[7]

In October 2016, Souq.Com, one of the Gulf region e-commerce major companies, invested in instashop.^[13] On August 26, 2020, instashop announced its acquisition by Berlin-based Delivery Hero in a deal reportedly worth $360 million. instashop has continued to operate as an independent brand with no changes in its management.^[14][3][15]

On November 17, 2023, founder John Tsioris stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Nikola Cabarkapa. ^[16]

On February 25, 2025, food delivery platform Talabat Holding fully acquired instashop from Delivery Hero in a deal valued at $32 million, according to a regulatory filing. instashop continues to operate as an independent brand within Talabat’s Grocery and Retail vertical.