Co-op and Snappy Shopper launch Northern Ireland trial offering fast local store-to-door deliveries

Co-op and Snappy Shopper have embarked upon a local store-to-door trial in Northern Ireland to further expand access to the convenience retailer’s rapid online home delivery of groceries.

This launched from Co-op’s Shankill Road, Belfast, and has now been extended to its store in Kings Road, Gilnahirk.

George Hayworth, Head of Online Development, Co-op, says: “Working with Snappy Shopper fits with our quick and convenient approach to e-commerce - a model which sees products picked fresh in the local store, so the high street store benefits from increased online demand.”

“We continually look for new ways to expand and grow our online offer, and are pleased to launch a trial with Snappy Shopper to provide increased customer choice and access to our products - serving our member-owners and customers close to our stores with what they want and need, when and where they need it.” 

Mike Callachan, CEO, Snappy Shopper, comments:: “Expanding into Northern Ireland with Co-op marks the next step in our q-commerce strategy - supporting retailers to drive sales with our seamless technology, and helping consumers with convenient access to groceries.”

“Working with retailers such as Co-op provides shoppers with even more choice when it comes to home delivery solutions.” 

Deliveries during the trial are priced at 99p, with orders sent to homes and workplaces within approximately a 2.5 mile radius of the stores in as little as under 60 minutes.

Co-op has its own online shop and, in addition to Snappy Shopper, partners with Amazon; Deliveroo; Just Eat, Uber Eats and also offers autonomous robot deliveries in partnership with Starship Technologies.  

Starship

Starship Technologies recently raised $90 million in funding, co-led by Plural and Iconical.

The new funding, which brings the total raised by Starship to $230 million since its creation in 2014, will be used to expand globally.

Starship robots are 99% autonomous and have made six million deliveries so far including takeaway orders to groceries in residential communities and on campuses.

Ahti Heinla, Co-founder and CEO at Starship Technologies, said: “Autonomous delivery isn’t some science fiction concept from Bladerunner for decades in the future, it’s a reality for hundreds of thousands of people every day.”

“Building a company like Starship takes at least a decade of perfecting the technology, streamlining operations and reducing costs to make last-mile autonomous delivery viable and sustainable at scale.”

“Now we’re ready to take on the world and with ambitions to build a category dominating company that can change the daily lives of millions of people in thousands of locations worldwide.”