“Ultra-rapid” grocery apps like Jiffy and Fancy have now arrived, offering unrivalled convenience threatening the dominance of the market’s largest players like Deliveroo and Amazon Fresh.
Grocery delivery apps became even more important during the lockdowns because they were able to provide food and groceries for people who could not leave their homes. These apps are a crucial part of the daily routine for many people in the UK, even after the lockdown restrictions were lifted.
The last 12 months has seen a dramatic rise in grocery delivery companies, Deliveroo and Ocado being at the forefront, with the former hosting its initial public offering (IPO) in the UK earlier this year.
Superfast Grocery Delivery Apps
There has been a recent boom in startups in some of the UK’s biggest cities, all promising to deliver groceries to your front door within minutes of ordering. As several new companies clamour to become top dog in the burgeoning industry, there are some great introductory deals on offer.
Mainstream supermarkets also waded into the scene, ramping up their online delivery capacities to match staggering demand.
Frustration surrounding continual limits on delivery capacity and waiting times often stretching more than a week has opened a new gap in the market, born out of consumers’ desires to receive their shopping within minutes of ordering.
But where to order from? Don’t be put off by the rumours of scarce delivery slots and cancelled orders. If you’re prepared and know where to shop, you could have all the food and drink goods you need delivered to your door in one fell swoop. Most supermarkets now have reliable stock and more delivery slots being added all the time.
We discuss 2 main Instant Grocery Apps that are running very successfully in the UK.
FANCY – Growing Grocery Delivery App
Arnie Englander and Jack Wilson founded Fancy, a last-mile delivery platform that gets consumers their groceries and daily essentials in 30 minutes. at the end of 2020 in London.
Even though Fancy is registered in London, they’re not delivering to customers in London, yet. Its areas of operation are Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol, and Birmingham but it will start operations in London, Sheffield, and Nottingham and a few other areas soon.
Gopuff, the go-to platform for consumers’ immediate everyday needs, recently acquired Fancy, As Gopuff accelerates geographic growth, this is the first of many steps in the company’s plans to significantly invest in new international markets–starting with the UK and Europe–and expand its global operations team.
Fancy’s end-to-end supply chain is similar to Gopuff’s vertically integrated model. This cuts out the middle-man, allowing Fancy to deliver essential items at grocery store prices in a matter of minutes.
Gopuff plans to expand the UK-based team while working with Fancy to leverage Gopuff technology and expertise to further improve the customer experience.
The takeovery gives Fancy increased access to the Instant Needs category leader’s operational capabilities, deep bench of talented personnel, and infrastructure to fully execute our vision of delivering convenience across the UK.
Also Read | Instant Grocery Delivery Apps – 30 Minutes Or Under!
JIFFY
Another online grocery delivery and “dark store” operator breaks cover today: London-based Jiffy, which aims to deliver fresh groceries and household essentials in around 15 minutes, has raised £2.6 million in seed funding as it readies for launch.
Jiffy says it will use the injection of capital to launch its first stores in London, as early as this month. It plans to make the service available in Westminster, Waterloo, Lambeth, Battersea, Clapham Town, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green, Hackney, Whitechapel, Stepney Green and Leytonstone.
The company will then launch a further 20 local fulfillment hubs across the U.K. later this year,
Launched in London in March, Jiffy has a good variety of products including fresh fruit and vegetables and an impressive array of cheeses, spanning Cathedral City cheddar and Dairylea Cheese Slices, to West Country Brie and Long Clawson Stilton.
The company promises to deliver its groceries within 15 minutes of the order being placed.
Example prices
| Product | Price |
| Bananas (1kg) | £0.72 (approximately £0.09 per banana) |
| Broccoli (one head) | £0.68 |
| Eggs (six, free-range) | £1.20 |
| Sliced white bread (800g, Kingsmill Soft White) | £1.16 (on offer, usually £1.45) |
| Pork and leek sausages (400g, Thorner’s) | £3.15 (on offer, usually £3.50) |
| Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate (95g) | £0.62 (on offer, usually £0.89) |
| Sauvignon Blanc (75cl, Oxford Landing Estates) | £6.83 |
| Waterproof plasters (18-pack, Elastoplast) | £2.99 |
Delivery Areas
Jiffy currently delivers to five areas in London – Waterloo, Deptford, Battersea, Bethnal Green and Park Royal – and plans are underway for the company to launch a further 20 fulfilment hubs across the UK later this year.
Delivery Charge & Minimum Spend
Delivery costs £1.99 if an order comes to less than £10, but there is no delivery charge if the order costs more than £10.
Delivery Hours
7am-11pm every day.
Introductory Offers
Jiffy has an introductory offer of 20% off your first order with the code WELCOME20.
The app also has an “Offers” section, which currently features more than 220 products that are 10-50% cheaper than their usual in-app price.
Items currently on offer include Pipers Crisps Cider Vinegar (40g), which are £0.39 instead of £0.79, PG Tips Pyramid Teabags (40 bags), which are £0.95 instead of £1.35, and Bombay Sapphire Gin (70cl), which is priced at £19.80 instead of £22.
Customer Service
Jiffy has a “Chat with support” feature that allows you to message a support team if you have any questions.
When I messaged to ask about opening hours and the service’s delivery locations I received answers within a couple of minutes.
The Future Of Grocery Delivery Apps
The future of grocery delivery apps is likely to continue growing and evolving as consumers increasingly embrace the convenience and efficiency of online shopping. Here are some potential trends and developments that we may see in the coming years:
Increased competition: As the market for grocery delivery apps expands, more companies are likely to enter the space, increasing competition and potentially driving down prices.
Expansion of services: Grocery delivery apps may expand their offerings beyond just groceries to include other household items, meal kits, and more.
Improved delivery logistics: With the rise of delivery robots, drones, and other advanced technologies, grocery delivery apps may be able to offer faster and more efficient delivery options.
Personalisation: Grocery delivery apps may increasingly use data and machine learning to offer personalised recommendations and deals to individual customers based on their shopping history and preferences.
Sustainability: Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their shopping habits, and grocery delivery apps may respond by offering more sustainable packaging and delivery options.
Are These Grocery Apps Worth Using?
The sudden appearance of a number of these services across London and other major UK cities suggests there is an appetite for ultra-fast grocery delivery services, particularly as many people are currently having to isolate at short notice because of the coronavirus.
The companies also offer a quick and simple alternative for anybody unable to book a supermarket home delivery slot.
The range of products is very limited compared to supermarkets, and prices are typically higher than in the aisles of your local store – especially as there are no own-brand products – but introductory offers mean that there are some really good deals currently up for grabs.
Overall, the future of grocery delivery apps is likely to be shaped by ongoing technological advancements, changing consumer preferences, and increased competition.
These apps certainly win when it comes to speed of delivery and convenience, and they’re ideal if you’re in desperate need of a couple of ingredients to solve a cooking crisis, or just craving something sweet but don’t feel like getting out of your pyjamas.
With a number of grocery apps making it big, you too have an opportunity to explore this immensely potential business niche. You can bring your own ideas to better the service of delivery. Talk to us and find out how you can build your own grocery delivery app service with our best selling GROCER Delivery Software.
