Pick n Pay partners with startup for same-day grocery deliveries

The Grocery Essentials service will help Pick n Pay deliver groceries, at store prices, to customers faster during the nationwide lockdown. While the retailer already offers online shopping through its website and app, the next available delivery slots can be further than a week away due to heightened demand.

With the lockdown and the ban on alcohol sales, the Bottles app was re-engineered to deliver groceries instead of alcohol. A week after lockdown was announced, the Grocery Essentials service was successfully piloted and it has already expanded to over 70 stores in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. More stores are expected to be introduced across the country.

“Grocery Essentials will offer customers an easy and more efficient way to stay safe and top up every-day basic essential items – from milk and bread to cooking oil and nappies,” says Jessica Knight, head of online at Pick n Pay.

The cost of delivery is set at R45 and there is a service fee of R15.

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Integrated with PnP database

Customers have the choice of over 1,500 products and can purchase up to 30 different products in one order (limits may apply per product). All products are categorised to help customers find the product they are looking for quickly. Categories range from fresh produce, bakery, pantry and frozen products to household items, toiletries and pet supplies.

“Grocery Essentials orders are picked from local Pick n Pay stores. We have integrated the Bottles app with in-store availability to help us deliver on customers’ orders in full wherever possible. Should the product become unavailable from the time of placing the order, the store will always try to find a suitable replacement item.

“We will continue to review products offered on the Grocery Essentials app based on customer feedback, and add the most popular items. We’ve already added over 600 new products since our pilot last week,” says Knight.

Customers will be able to place orders Monday to Saturday between 8am and 3pm, and on Sunday between 8am and 1pm. Items will be delivered until 7pm (Monday – Saturday) and 5pm on Sunday. Public holiday delivery times may vary and will be confirmed on the Bottles app.

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All deliveries will be contactless. Customers can track their delivery on the Bottles app and the driver will notify the customer when they are outside before placing their order at their door or gate.

“The systems we have put in place will let us scale the service. We will roll it out to more stores so that we can serve more customers, both in metropolitan areas and towns,” concludes Knight.

Customers can find out if the Grocery Essentials is available in their area by downloading the Bottles app and setting their location.