Hannaford Growing Drive-up Grocery Service

Hannaford Supermarkets is in the midst of expanding its Hannaford To Go grocery service, which will roll out to an eighth location, in Colonie, N.Y., on Oct. 2. The service, which allows customers to order items online –- including special requests -- and then drive to their nearest store to pick up the groceries, is already available at Hannaford stores in Maine, New Hampshire and New York.

Spokesman Eric Blom told Progressive Grocer that the Delhaize America supermarket chain originally piloted the service at a store in Dover Fields, N.H., about three years ago, and then at a location in North Windham, Maine, before beginning to roll it out to select supermarkets. The decision of where to introduce the service depends on many factors, he said, chief among them the demographics of the surrounding community.

Noting that Hannaford To Go was particularly geared toward commuters, busy moms and other time-stressed shoppers, Blom observed that the company listened to its consumers and would continue to assess which stores should offer the service as new locations opened.

He added that the convenient curbside pickup service should prove especially popular in winter, and would be a more time-efficient solution for many shoppers. So far, customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, added Blom: "People really appreciate the service."