JV by the founders of Retail Robotics and Star Service Group signed on April 17th 2021
A revolutionary click-and-collect network, that allows consumers to collect online food orders, will soon be launched in Paris. This network, based on robotic machines, enables fully automated order fulfillment at multi-brand collection points. Łukasz Nowiński, CEO and founder of Retail Robotics, and Hervé Street, president of Star Service Group, have signed a joint venture, investing together in the installation of first pick-up points – under the Delipop brand already in 2021.
“I look forward to launch Delipop – first multi – brand network of automatic pickup points for e-grocery, where reality surpasses what not long ago felt like fiction – creating new milestones and standards that move the entire ecosystem forward with automation and robotics – groundbreaking innovation in technology and e-grocery logistics” – says Stephane Legatelois, CEO of Delipop France
Partners have been cooperating on the Delipop development plan already in 2020. A multi-brand click-and-collect network for e-grocery, will serve customers of various food retailers in France, starting its operations this year in Paris. Joint venture investment amounts to 20 million of euro for 30 locations as the first phase of the Delipop network development. Partners aim at creating 12 Delipop points in 2021 and up to 1000 by the end of 2025 so that customers can enjoy seamless pick-up at the time of their choice just within a few minutes’ walk from home. One location is able to process up to 5000 orders per month.
“Observing the fast growth of e-commerce for years, we believed robotic pick-up solutions were the way to go. Covid-19 has proved that the grocery retailers can no longer wait to introduce delivery standards that can meet the customers requirements, while keeping the balance of investments costs they can bear. Delipop is the perfect answer for the big cities, allowing smooth operations without affecting the city traffic. We are really happy to develop our network in France, partnering with such a strong logistics player like Star Service and I am sure this partnership is going to improve the e-grocery market in France very soon and significantly ” says Lukasz Nowinski, founder and CEO of Retail Robotics
Delipop has been founded to answer the market need for optimizing last mile delivery for e-grocery, which has been growing rapidly within the last years and is expected to continue its growth worldwide. The market value of e-grocery in France in 2020 reached over 10 bn EUR and just over the last year online orders have increased by over 30%, accounting for almost 9% food sales.
Robotic networks will also be introduced to the United Kingdom market, in 2021 the first demo location is going to open in London. ‘According to official data online grocery market in the UK increased by over 80% in 2020 and reached more than 20 bn GBP. Online business accounts for even 20% of overall grocery sales of largest British retailers. This is not a market we could miss in our global strategy – says Michal Mierzejewski, VP Global Sales & Business Development at Retail Robotics.
A multi-brand, click-and-collect robotic network is the fast, sustainable solution aligned with customers demand for convenient and not expensive delivery of grocery orders. Retailers who join Delipop can reach new types of customer groups and can build loyalty among existing customers. Such a solution allows a greater presence in urban areas with many more downtown locations, with a wider choice of food products and closer to the urban customers of the city centers. It supports the convenient and fully self-service model that is becoming a standard expected by a growing number of customers.
Higher last mile efficiency, eco process, excellent customer experience
“Together with our partner, we are taking action in changing the e-grocery delivery market. Our network, built in close cooperation with retailers, will significantly increase logistics capacity and provide a service that makes the same fleet of couriers able to deliver many more orders. In big cities it is a crucial need and Delipop creates a big opportunity both for the market and the customers .” adds Herve Street, owner of Star Service.
Delipop based on state-of-the-art robotic technology of Arctan machines will become a new and most efficient delivery channel unleashing the potential of the e-grocery market. One Arctan machine available at the market can process even 150-200 orders per day and significantly decreases the cost of last mile delivery. The robotic, fully self-service solution is 3 times as effective compared to traditionally operated pick-up, reducing space and operational costs. An order pick-up process for a customer can be completed in less than 2 minutes. Arctans offer simultaneous consumer pick-up and courier drop-off. Delipop philosophy is based on providing sustainable solutions that will significantly reduce CO2 emissions and decrease the congestion in the cities that suffer from an enormous increase in the number of courier cars at its streets.
“We want Parisians to fall in love with Delipop. We want to empower them – not just to give the best delivery option in Paris that lets them pick-up groceries at any time they wish. Not just free them from waiting for a courier. Not just offer them the biggest range of groceries in a walking distance. We want to give them a magical multisensory experience – so that they can pop-in and pop-out and enjoy this moment” – concludes Marek Piotrowski, CMO of Delipop & Partner of Retail Robotics
Official kick-off of the network operations is planned for Q3 2021. In the summer Delipop demo locations will be tested by various retailers, who have already expressed their interest in joining the network. The technology, based on Retail Robotics Arctan machines has been successfully tested by consumers in the pilot pedestrian drive location in Paris as a click-and-collect point of one of the leading French grocery retailers. Over 90% of the customers who picked-up their grocery there were satisfied and would recommend the solution.
