Through a first-ever third-party delivery partnership for Mercato, Grubhub is growing its Marketplace selection to offer grocery, convenience and alcohol retailers.
Food ordering and delivery marketplace Grubhub and Mercato, an online platform for independent grocery stores, have joined forces to bring Mercato’s inventory of 950-plus retailers across the United States to the Grubhub Marketplace. Customers can now order from hundreds of locations, with all retailers becoming available over the next few weeks. Through this first-ever third-party delivery partnership for Mercato, Grubhub is growing its Marketplace selection to offer grocery, convenience and alcohol retailers. Meanwhile, Mercato’s retailers can increase their business and e-commerce footprint with access to Grubhub’s millions of customers through the partnership.
Mercato’s retailer partners span 38 states and 320-plus cities, including such major markets as New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Boston. Among these local purveyors are Citarella, Kol Tuv Kosher Foods, Boston Public Market and Eataly. Retailers pick and pack individual orders that are then picked up by customers or delivered by Grubhub’s drivers. Customers can choose from a diverse range of merchants, among them delis, seafood and produce markets, bakeries, butcher shops, and natural foods stores.
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“Grubhub started as a marketplace for independent restaurants, so it’s only fitting that as we expand into the grocery space, it’s first with a partner that works with independent grocers,” noted Craig Whitmer, VP of new verticals at Chicago-based Grubhub. “By joining forces with local grocers, we’re not just delivering for our customers, but we’re delivering for small businesses to help grow their online presence. Our customers can now get more of what they need on Grubhub, while Mercato’s merchants gain access and increased visibility among our customers.”
“This partnership represents a fantastic opportunity for Mercato merchants to reach new customers and grow their business through Grubhub’s extensive customer base,” added Bobby Brannigan, CEO and founder of San Diego-based Mercato. “We’ve developed a purposefully built inventory management and order fulfillment platform for local grocers, seamlessly integrating with over 87 point-of-sale systems, thereby enabling merchants to effectively manage online orders. This collaboration will stimulate increased demand for our merchants, empowering them to capitalize on the efficient system we have developed to operate a profitable e-commerce business.”
“We’re thrilled to offer our wide selection of gourmet products, fresh produce, premium seafood and meats to even more customers through Mercato’s collaboration with Grubhub,” said Pina Doria Soares, owner and controller of Grace’s Marketplace, a gourmet grocer on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “We’re essentially expanding our online reach and increasing online sales without having to set up additional integrations, manage multiple platforms or incur additional fees.”
To order, customers will choose the grocery button within the Grubhub app and on the web, where all available merchants will populate. All of Mercato’s retailer supply will be available on Grubhub+, Grubhub's loyalty program that provides customers access to unlimited $0 delivery on eligible orders. Indies interested in participating in this opportunity can find out more here.
Part of Dutch multinational company Just Eat Takeaway.com, Grubhub features more than 355,000 merchants in more than 4,000 U.S. cities.