What are dark stores and how do they work as a distribution channel?

Dark stores are rapid-delivery retail hubs—typically 150–300m² commercial spaces in cities that stock 3,000–5,000 SKUs and deliver to surrounding areas within 15 minutes. They represent a modern distribution model focused on speed and convenience in urban markets.

**How they work:** - Dark stores occupy small commercial real estate in city centers - Stock a curated, uniform selection of goods (rather than traditional wholesale breadth) - Operate a rapid delivery model, typically 15-minute delivery windows - Focus on high-density urban areas where demand and speed are competitive advantages

**UK example:** - **Zapp** — members cited this as a UK dark store operator, establishing the model in the British market

**Distribution considerations:** - Members are actively exploring dark store distribution in Europe (particularly Germany), suggesting this channel is becoming relevant for UK drinks founders looking to scale internationally - Unlike traditional distributors, dark stores require a different approach: smaller, faster-moving inventory rather than wholesale-sized orders