Co-op has partnered with Uber’s white-label delivery service Uber Direct, which will see Uber couriers fulfil grocery orders made on the convenience retailer’s own app.
Co-op already sells groceries on Uber Eats – as well as Just Eat and Deliveroo – with a range appearing on those aggregators’ own apps. Via the aggregators, groceries are available from around 1,100 Co-op stores. The latest partnership means Co-op customers can shop directly with the retailer online, but their deliveries will be handled by Uber couriers.
The partnership with Uber Direct will initially enable an additional 50 Co-op stores to offer rapid online home delivery, with the retailer to extend access to its own online shop to around 1,000 Co-op stores by the end of the year.
“We have ambitious goals for the continued growth of our e-commerce business, and know that our member owners and customers value the ease and convenience of quick and convenient online home delivery,” said Chris Conway, Co-op’s e-commerce director.
“Innovation and effective partnerships are a fundamental part of our approach as we grow the reach of both our own online shop, and our work with strategic partners – offering our member owners and customers in more communities an extensive range of groceries on demand from Co-op’s stores locally,” he added.
Co-op said it had an ambition to “accelerate its share of the quick commerce market to more than 30%”.
Uber Direct is based on the same technology and courier network as Uber Eats and is available in 330 towns and cities across the UK. The “fast, convenient and reliable service” allows customers to choose from as soon as possible or scheduled deliveries, including on weekends and evenings. It is already “supporting hundreds of major restaurant, grocery and retail brands globally” including McDonald’s, KFC, Tesco and Asda in the UK.
“We’re proud to work with Co-op to build on its relationship with Uber, and support its work to grow its online delivery service to its member owners and customers,” said Caroline Varga, head of Uber Direct. “Our shared focus on speed, reliability and convenience supports Co-op’s growth ambitions to offer food and drink on-demand from more of its stores via Co-op’s own website or app.”
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