Scottish grocery app Yuu has announced a partnership with last-mile, on-demand delivery network Gophr, to deliver everyday essentials across Glasgow within 60 minutes as it looks to tackle the rise of "dark stores" in Scotland.
Yuu, a subsidiary of United Wholesale Scotland, is working with Gophr to deliver everyday essentials from over 70 convenience stores across Glasgow with plans to roll the service out across Scotland by the end of 2022 giving local shops a much-needed boost.
The partnership will allow for a one-hour customer promise within a two-mile radius of each participating store and a robust returns API functionality. By working with Gophr, Yuu will also be able to offer a seven day a week service, between 8am-9pm and is looking to hit hundreds of orders per day this summer.
Yuu users will be able to track the progress of their delivery from store to doorstep in real-time thanks to Gophr’s custom API integration as well as being able to contact the courier directly if needed.
“Yuu came to us with a very simple plan: to be faster and easier to book with than their rivals. Our experience in the last-mile delivery space and grocery sector means that we can certainly help with the former while not compromising on the doorstep experience," said Graham Smith, Head of Strategic Accounts at Gophr.
“We’re always excited to go into partnerships with those who want to make a difference and there is no denying that Yuu has ambitions that match ours. The fact that we can announce such a relationship at a time of uncertainty within the RGD space is testament to the work the team is doing here at Gophr."
Explaining why United decided to develop its own home delivery platform, Chris Gallacher, Managing Director at Yuu, said: “We asked some of our retailers why they weren’t getting on the crest of the wave by moving into home delivery. The biggest barriers were having to invest in their own delivery vehicle, getting a driver who is reliable and a platform that reflects the range we have in store.
“Our Tech, Marketing, E-commerce and Operations teams have worked tirelessly to remove these barriers over the past 12 months. This would not be possible without the partnership with Gophr, we are both aligned when it comes to giving consumers a great service at the doorstep. I believe that we’re the only wholesaler offering this type of home delivery platform, not just in Scotland but in the whole of the UK.”
