Convenience store franchise CU starts on-foot grocery delivery service

By Park Sae-jin Posted : October 5, 2020, 12:24 Updated : October 5, 2020, 12:24

[Courtesy of CU]

SEOUL -- CU, a domestic convenience store franchise, started a test run for its on-foot grocery delivery service to attract customers. Professional deliverymen will be mobilized for short-distance deliveries which take an average of 21 minutes and 30 seconds.

A COVID-19 pandemic invigorated South Korea's grocery delivery service market led by Woowa Brothers, the operator of food delivery service app Baedal Minjok. Many consumers order groceries using service apps rather than to visit crowded stores. Deliverymen have use motorcycles or electric bicycles to deliver groceries.

CU said in a statement on October 5 that its on-foot grocery delivery service was put into pilot operation in 1,000 stores in Seoul. A nationwide service will be launched in November. Each store will cover deliveries that are ordered within a one-kilometer radius. If on-foot deliverymen are busy, CU will dispatch motorcycle riders.

"We can provide delivery services that are quicker than motorcycle-based services that cover wider service areas because we limit delivery areas within one kilometer," CU said.

On-foot delivery services were not common in South Korea's delivery market which has more than 350,000 motorcycle deliverymen. GS25, a local convenience store franchise, launched a new delivery service market in September. Anyone aged more than 18 years old can join GS25's grocery delivery service to cover a one-kilometer radius of each store for a fee of up to 3,200 won ($2.75) per run.
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