Online food ordering and delivery app Zomato has started grocery delivery services in 80+ cities in India to ensure that essential products reach every household during the lockdown. Deepinder Goyal, Founder and CEO of Zomato said, “We have started grocery delivery in 80+ cities across India to help with the supply of essentials. Our delivery network in the country is only second to India Post, and we are putting in every effort to make sure that we put it to good use to serve the community.”
In this new feature, the app lists local grocery stores of the area enabling customers to order essential items from the nearby stores. Zomato is also ensuring safe delivery by taking the following steps:
1- Contactless delivery option wherein the delivery man will leave the package on the door. It has also paused cash on delivery to promote online payment to ensure Zero-touch delivery. Goyal said, “Customers can opt to allow the delivery partner to leave the package outside their home, ensuring no human-to-human interaction and hence lowering the risk of any transmission.”
2- Daily temperature checks of the staff
3- Hand wash sanitisers for riders
And for those ordering cooked meals from restaurants via Zomato, the app ensures that they have been prepared in sanitized kitchens as per WHO advisory.
Goyal further said, “We are making a big push to ensure hygiene standards are being followed by restaurants and passing on that information to users so that they can make an informed decision and are assured of the safety and hygiene standards of the food.”
Online grocery retailer Grofers is also working with Zomato to get its delivery fleet onboard. Saffola Store is also available on Zomato to some shoppers in parts of Delhi-NCR and Bangalore. It will gradually be rolled out in other cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad.