Jerome Joof, a software engineer and Gambian immigrant based in Seattle, Washington, United States, has launched Yonnii http://(https://apps.apple.com/app/id6810441768), a delivery platform designed specifically for independent neighborhood and ethnic stores that mainstream apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats have largely left behind.
Joof was inspired by a simple observation: many local shops he and his neighbors relied on for staple goods and authentic meals were missing from popular delivery services. Customers often drove long distances along the I-5 corridor to reach stores in places like Lynnwood, Everett, and Marysville that offered products unavailable in chain supermarkets or restaurants. When he spoke with shopkeepers, one barrier stood out above all others: the steep commission fees charged by established platforms that cut deeply into already thin margins.
“As a software engineer, I saw an opportunity to solve this problem directly,” Joof said. Drawing on experience at companies including Amazon and Apple, he built Yonnii to give independent owners an affordable online presence, expand their reach to customers farther away, and deliver reliable service without the financial penalty of traditional marketplaces.
The platform focuses on smaller and ethnic markets that have been priced out of the delivery economy. By charging a fraction of standard commission rates, Yonnii aims to protect store margins while providing customers with dependable access to the local products they value. Each merchant page also highlights the owner’s story and heritage, an intentional feature Joof says helps customers connect with the real people behind the counter rather than treating the transaction as anonymous.
Launching version 1.0 required balancing technical demands with on-the-ground relationship building. On the engineering side, Joof and his team navigated strict app store reviews. They conducted extensive testing to ensure checkout, security, and dispatch systems were solid before handling any real money. Equally important was face-to-face time with store owners—listening to past frustrations with gig apps, building trust, and demonstrating how Yonnii would actually protect their bottom line.
Greater Seattle’s cultural diversity shaped both the product and the rollout. Independent ethnic markets and authentic kitchens are scattered across multiple cities, and residents were already making lengthy drives for groceries and home-cooked meals. Joof applied lessons from large-scale software work to create a single source of truth for pricing, checkout, and dispatch, keeping the system reliable and maintainable while mapping it to the region’s real travel patterns.
Looking ahead, Yonnii’s immediate priority is building density across Greater Seattle by adding more independent restaurants, groceries, bakeries, and markets. Expansion to other U.S. cities will follow only after the model is proven locally. Joof says what will continue to set the platform apart is its commitment to the people who run the stores: fair rates, intentional growth one community at a time, and a focus on the stories and heritage that make each business unique.
“My goal is for Yonnii to be the default choice for neighborhood stores by proving our value first,” he said.
