Most families know that between school, work, sporting events and family functions, one of the last things parents want to make time for is a trip to the grocery store. But since the start of the year, at least three companies have launched that could eliminate the long lines and lists.
From store shelf to door step in under an hour, the way we make groceries has definitely changed.
"Build some new clientele and stay with the times, because it’s changing. The world is changing and changing fast," said owner of Adrien’s Supermarket, Herb Palombo.
Grocery delivery services like Shipt and Instacart are available here, as well as nationwide. There are also those apps that cater to a more local clientele, like Lafayette-based iShopr.
"So we wanted to think of a way where we could really help and support the economy that’s here locally in Lafayette, and surrounding areas. So, we decided that our business model would really be working with local grocers," said iShopr co-owner Amber Lago.
Most of the grocery delivery apps work pretty much the same way. First, customers pick out which groceries they’d like to add to their grocery list. Next, a personal shopper will head out to the store and pick up everything on the list. Then, they’ll notify customer when they arrive for drop off with all of the groceries in tow.
"From my personal experience, I’d say that about 60 percent of my members have been moms with small children. People know it’s really hard for them to get grocery shopping done. About 20 percent have been elderly or disabled, and the other 20 percent are just busy professionals that don’t want to have to stop at the grocery on the way from a long day," said Jacqueline Roberthon, a Shipt shopper.
For the most part, clients can customize their shopping lists to fit their lifestyles as well.
"For example, with bananas, the customer will say, ‘I would like my bananas to be very yellow, or I would like them to me minimally riped.’ So, the shopper will look at the fresh array of options and then select one that meets the closest request of the customer needs," said Lago.
"I’d been considering doing some type of curbside or some time of service where we could get groceries to customers easier. I think there’s a real growing need for that in this market," said Palombo.
