London-based courier Quiqup has expanded to Manchester and plans to roll out its one-hour grocery delivery service.
Quiqup began operating in Manchester earlier this month, after raising £20m in private funding to fuel geographical expansion and to fulfil its grocery ambitions in May last year.
It is already delivering for fast food restaurants, pharmacists and fashion retailers in central and Greater Manchester, with plans to sign up grocery partners as soon as possible, a source told The Grocer - including Tesco, which uses the logistics firm for its one-hour Tesco Now service in London.
Quiqup aims to help retailers fend off the threat of Amazon by providing third-party one-hour local delivery, having last year developed an app that lets pickers check stock availability and navigate the most efficient route through stores.
Grocery currently makes up around 20% of Quiqup’s business despite a partnership with Whole Foods Market ceasing after Amazon acquired the chain in August last year.
Partners in London included several smaller grocery retailers, as well as Tesco, the source said, and meetings had already been held with several large enterprise grocers who had expressed interest in its expansion.
The one-hour Tesco Now service allows customers to order up to 20 items for delivery within one hour, but is currently available in London transport zone one and part of zone two only. Tesco Now orders are placed using the Tesco Now app, which was developed by Quiqup.
The source said Quiqup had “streamlined” its same-day deliver technology to “suit the needs of any business in any region”.
On rolling out the one-hour Tesco Now service to Manchester, the source said: “We look to expand all of our partners into Manchester because as the second retail hub of the UK it’s a great place for them to expand.
“We’re very much looking forward to all or most of our partners in London moving with us to Manchester.”
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