Ahold Delhaize USA expands instant essentials delivery
A major grocery conglomerate is offering ultrafast delivery of convenience items across multiple banners.
Ahold Delhaize USA is building upon an omnichannel partnership launched between its Giant Company banner and on-demand delivery platform Instacart in September 2021. The service provides customers of the Giant and Martin’s grocery chains virtual storefronts which enable Instacart delivery of fresh groceries, convenience items, and household essentials from early morning to late at night, in as fast as 30 minutes.
Now, Ahold Delhaize USA is opening virtual convenience storefronts for multiple branded delivery services, including Food Lion Now, Giant Instant Delivery, Hannaford Now, Stop & Shop Express, Giant Food Convenience, and Martin’s Instant Delivery.
These instant delivery services are fulfilled from more than 1,400 Ahold Delhaize banner locations across the country through Instacart’s Convenience Hub, an offering designed to streamline the convenience shopping experience for customers. Convenience Hub provides customers access to a range of essentials they need in as fast as 30 minutes.
Ultrafast delivery services that offer delivery of immediate everyday essentials in as little as 30 or even 15 minutes continue popping up. Ultrafast delivery platform Jokr, which initiated U.S. operations in New York City in July 2021, recently closed a $260 million Series B funding deal that put its valuation at $1.2 billion (unicorn status) and made its service is available in several neighborhoods around Boston.
In addition, European fast delivery startup Gorillas, which fulfills online grocery orders in 10 minutes or less, debuted in Brooklyn at the end of May. And Philadelphia-based Gopuff, which provides speedy delivery (in as little as minutes) of immediate everyday needs, is expanding on the West Coast. And Buyk recently launched operations in Manhattan with a promise of fulfilling online and mobile orders in 15 minutes or less, while Turkish company Getir recently made its U.S. debut in Chicago.
[Read more: Ultrafast delivery is gaining momentum]
In addition, on-demand delivery platform DoorDash is introducing ultrafast grocery delivery in New York City via its DashMart online convenience storefront. Introduced in August 2020, the DashMart banner offers both household essentials and local restaurant products for on-demand delivery. DashMart stores are owned, operated, and curated by DoorDash, and stocked with inventory from both national and local convenience, grocery and foodservice retailers.
Ahold Delhaize USA and Instacart first partnered in 2019 and today offer delivery in as fast as an hour, and now 30-minute convenience delivery, nationwide from more than 1,400 stores. The companies expanded their partnership in 2020 to include alcohol delivery and pickup, and today Instacart powers alcohol delivery and pickup from nearly 250 Ahold Delhaize USA banner stores, including Stop and Shop, Hannaford, Martin’s, Giant Food and Food Lion, across eight states.
“We’re proud to launch convenience delivery in partnership with Ahold Delhaize USA to offer a streamlined way for customers to get the last-minute items they need, fast,” said Chris Rogers, VP of Retail at Instacart. “Our convenience business has more than doubled since June due to customer demand, and our expanded partnership with Ahold Delhaize USA allows Hannaford, Giant, Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Giant Food and Martin’s customers to access both delivery speed and selection from their favorite grocer. We look forward to continuing to find new ways to make the online grocery experience effortless, accessible, and affordable for customers in deep partnership with retailers.”