After almost a year of operation in Kosovo, international ordering and delivery platform Wolt is reporting rapid growth, high demand from consumers, and a strong embrace from local businesses.
In an interview with Telegrafi për Biznes, Wolt's director for Kosovo and Albania, Lissandri Dragoj, spoke about the experience of entering the market, the characteristics of consumers in the country, the challenges of the first months, and the company's strategic goals for the coming year.
According to Dragoi, the decision to join Wolt was natural due to the global nature of the company and the impact the service brings to the community.Wolt's product is not a necessity product, but it solves a need and makes life easier for all users... This is the main reason that made me become part of the company.", he emphasizes.
Dragoj explains that Wolt is a technology platform that connects consumers, businesses and couriers in an integrated ecosystem, built for speed and efficiency. The average delivery time in Kosovo remains around 30 minutes, an element that differentiated the service immediately after entering the market.
During the interview, the manager says that the markets of Albania and Kosovo have welcomed the platform very quickly, mainly thanks to the young and tech-savvy population.
"The consumer market in Albania and Kosovo, especially in Kosovo, is mainly composed of youth and they are the first to push an innovation into the market.", he said during the interview.
As a result, the market education process has been easier, while local businesses saw the platform as an opportunity to expand their service area and better manage customers.
In addition to being an ordering app, Wolt is a powerful tool for managing and promoting shops and restaurants. According to Dragoi, businesses benefit not only from exposure to a wide customer base, but also from personalized marketing functions within the app.Wolt enables businesses to manage their customer base, create campaigns for loyal customers, target customers who haven't tried the product. These campaigns are so personalized that the business manages to build them in the most efficient way.", he explains.
Currently, over 300 couriers operate in Kosovo in Pristina and Ferizaj. However, a frequently discussed topic has been public comments about their safety in busy traffic. Dragoj emphasizes that the company is actively working in this direction.Wolt invests heavily in safety training, clothing, helmets... All of these are tools that Wolt makes available.", he says, adding that the culture of using motorcycles in Kosovo is new and takes time to adapt. 
When asked about consumer preferences, he says that fast food continues to be the most sought-after category.
"Fast foods are the most ordered"Dragoj explains. He predicts that the market will eventually balance out towards a healthier offering.
The company's goal for next year is to expand into the retail sector: pharmacies, supermarkets, technology stores, clothing, and other categories.
"The objective for the coming year will be positioning itself in retail deliveries… we expect other sectors to join in as well”, Dragoj said, underlining that the demand to become part of the platform is very high and the company must make careful selection.
At the end of the interview, Dragoj gave a message of thanks to partners and customers in both countries.
For more follow the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQdXPn7408I
