On-demand laundry service brings competitor into the fold with latest acquisition

Laundryheap, the UK’s largest on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning service, has announced that it has acquired competitor Laundrapp from Inc Retail.

The deal, the terms of which remain undisclosed, follows a steady expansion of Laundryheap’s market footprint since it was founded in 2014.

Laundryheap was founded in London by Deyan Dimitrov, Mayur Bommai and Ruxandra Lica and now operates across the UK and 10 additional international markets, including the US, Singapore, and the UAE. In 2021, the company saw growth of over 300 per cent.

This approach contrasted with market competitors Laundrapp, founded by Hambro Perks and Zipjet, both founded in 2014. Laundrapp and Zipjet collectively secured over £30m in VC financing, led extensive marketing campaigns across the UK, and acquired a range of competitors.

This acquisition will expand Laundryheap’s regional reach across the UK, increase its customer base, and provide access to an augmented network of transport and logistics partners. All Laundrapp employees will be retained and, over the coming months, the Laundrapp brand will be replaced by the Laundryheap brand.

All Laundrapp customers will now benefit from Laundryheap’s 24-hour pick and return service. Users will also receive a more eco-friendly service; Laundryheap recently invested £2.5m in an additional 200 e-cargo bikes, radically expanding its ability to provide UK customers with a faster and more sustainable delivery service.

Deyan Dmitrov, CEO and founder of Laundryheap, comments: “In 2014, on-demand laundry and dry-cleaning became a hugely competitive space almost overnight. At Laundryheap, we did our best to keep our heads down and stay out of the fray.

“Instead, we bootstrapped the business and iterated the model until we were confident that we could scale-up the offering in a sustainable way. Only then did we raise a strategic amount of VC investment.

“This mindful approach is a philosophy we have maintained ever since and over the last 8 years we’ve gone from strength to strength, including launching successfully across a range of international markets.

“The acquisition of Laundrapp is a testament to the resilience of our model and ongoing demand for high-quality, reliable on-demand laundry services. We’re delighted to be expanding our UK footprint by welcoming Laundrapp customers and partners onto the Laundryheap platform.”