Behind the Scenes: Building Liefmax in Tübingen

Tübingen might seem like an unlikely place to start a delivery revolution. But that's exactly where Liefmax began — as a simple idea among university students frustrated with expensive delivery fees and long wait times.

The Problem We Wanted to Solve

Like many students, we were on tight budgets. Grocery delivery was convenient, but the €5-8 delivery fees made it impossible to justify for regular shopping. Plus, the delivery times were often unpredictable — sometimes 30 minutes, sometimes two hours.

We noticed something interesting: our roommates were already going to the same supermarkets every few days. What if we could coordinate? If one person goes to the store, why not pick up groceries for others and split the savings?

The First MVP

Our first version was embarrassingly simple. A WhatsApp group where people posted their shopping lists and whoever was heading to the store would respond. It was chaotic, but it worked. We saved money. We got our groceries faster. And we got to know our neighbors better.

We knew we needed something more scalable. That's when we started building the Liefmax platform — a proper matching system, ratings, and a way to handle payments safely.

Growing Beyond Tübingen

What started in a few dormitories has grown to cover multiple neighborhoods in Tübingen. We've seen students, families, and retirees all participate as both shoppers and deliverers. The community aspect has been stronger than we imagined.

Now we're expanding to other university towns across Germany. The model works anywhere there are people who need groceries and neighbors willing to help. Tübingen was our test bed, but the vision is much larger.

What's Next

We're just getting started. We're adding features like instant delivery scheduling, more store integrations, and better mobile experiences. But our core philosophy remains the same: use technology to connect communities, not replace them.

Want to bring Liefmax to your city? Join the waitlist and let us know where you are.