Coborn's Reinforces Delivery Capabilities

In response to the growing number of grocery delivery services in the market, Coborn’s has added several upgrades to its CobornsDelivers service, and is reminding Twin Cities residents of its capabilities and history in the delivery space.

Among the new features, the grocer has introduced:

• Quicker access to shopping
• A mobile-responsive website, with about 70 percent of the site activated for mobile following this year's improvements, and the rest to be addressed soon
• Swifter navigation, with a new menu and site format
• More filtering options for quicker browsing
• Improved search functionality, including the ability to refine results by brand, lifestyle and dietary needs, as well as new and sale items
• A redone "My Lists" feature that is more engaging and interactive across the shopping experience, allowing customers to build their lists as they shop
• A redone cart that's more interactive and easier to use
• A redone checkout

"We had the grand re-opening in November as a celebration of completing the year-long efforts to refresh the website," Katie Boegel, e-commerce marketing manager for CobornsDelivers, told Progressive Grocer. "Like a brick-and-mortar location would have a grand reopening after a remodel, our website is our storefront, and we wanted to celebrate with our valued customers and the community. We also wanted to reintroduce ourselves to the Twin Cities area and remind everyone we’re a relevant option and the most established in the market as we’ve been delivering over eight years. [We're] also, a local, employee-owned organization that you can feel good about supporting."

Using its own survey-based research, the grocer showed that while most working moms surveyed shop online for apparel, shoes and accessories, many haven’t done so for groceries. Yet nearly half (45 percent) said online grocery shopping would be “a great timesaver,” especially since more than one-third (37 percent) admit they grocery shop more than once per week, which can add up nearly three hours total of driving and shopping.

“Forty-five percent of our respondents thought online grocery shopping would be a great timesaver," noted Boegel. "So we asked what they would do with that extra time if they didn’t have to grocery shop — 50 percent said they would get some exercise, and 40 percent would spend more time with their children. These are moments you can recapture that offer real physical and emotional benefits."

At CobornsDelivers, created in 2008 when Coborn’s acquired local grocery delivery pioneer SimonDelivers, customers may choose from an entire grocery store’s worth of items, including butcher-quality meats and in-season local produce, a wide assortment of locally made and organic products, and homemade prepackaged meal kits, as well as wine, beer and alcohol. Orders placed before 10 a.m. qualify for same-day delivery, while those placed by 11 p.m. will be delivered the following day. The service, with 220 employees and 55 trucks, runs deliveries throughout the Twin Cities from a grocery superstore in New Hope, Minn.

Based in St. Cloud, Minn., Coborn’s employs approximately 8,000 people and operates 55 stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods and Save-A-Lot banners.