UK supermarket Waitrose is teaming with Deliveroo for a 12-week trial beginning Tuesday that is set to provide food delivery service for 500,000 households.
Following the successful lead of other retailers, Waitrose says that if it is successful, it will expand the service, which will provide lightning-fast distribution in as little as 30 minutes to shoppers. The Deliveroo service is designed to work alongside Waitrose’s two-hour home delivery service, Waitrose Rapid, which now has more than 23,000 customers.
The first deliveries will start in Bracknell and Clifton, before launching in its Surbiton, Fitzroy Street (Cambridge) and Notting Hill on 3 September.
“We have laid down a marker for our future strategy with the growth of Waitrose.com and Waitrose Rapid and this gives us another opportunity to give our customers a taste of what the future of convenience shopping could look like for us,” James Bailey, Executive Director for Waitrose, said. “Our trial with Deliveroo has huge potential to give new and existing customers greater choice and flexibility for when and how they want to shop with Waitrose.”
What they’ll be able to get are more than 500 products, including fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as ready-made meals and other essentials. The process at each location will run from the first hour after a store open to an hour after close.
“Deliveroo’s on-demand grocery services have proven vital for so many people during this difficult period, allowing families to get the items they want and need quickly without having to leave home,” said Ajay Lakhani, Vice President of New Business, Deliveroo. “We are excited about working with such a brilliant British brand, bringing people the food they need and want, on-demand.”
Deliveroo has collaborated with 35,000 restaurants and 30,000 riders in the UK to rapidly expand and provide convenience to thousands of customers. Waitrose.com, meanwhile,
