Google is ramping up its grocery delivery service Google Express by adding fresh produce in two US cities to take on Amazon and other delivery startup companies.
The technology company is planning to pilot delivery of produce, meat, eggs and other perishable goods in select regions of San Francisco and Los Angeles. If the pilot succeeds, the company will expand the service to other areas as well, USA Today reported.
Google Express has been delivering non-perishable items; but now it will start delivering perishable goods. In San Francisco, Costco, Smart & Final, and Whole Foods provide perishable items while in Los Angeles Costco, Smart & Final and Vicente Foods are the merchants who would provide the perishables, USA Today reported.
Pilot regions in San Francisco include Financial District, Mission and Potrero Hill, while in Los Angeles the service will take off in Pacific Palisades, Westwood and Marina Del Rey regions.
Google Express group product manager Prabhu Balasubramanian said that the deliveries for the perishables would begin at $2.99 for members and non-members would be charged $4.99.
The deliveries would be made within a timeframe of two hours, instead of four hours for delivery of non-perishable items.
The company is raising the minimum order amount to $35 from the current $15. The yearly membership costs $95. Non-members would have to shell out $5 for every single order they make, and the charges could even increase depending on the size or availability of the ordered item.
Google Express group product manager Prabhu Balasubramanian told: "Everyone wants milk delivered with their cookies, that's why we're excited to start adding fresh groceries to Google Express."
According to the publication, the group product manager's blog post read: "Whether you need to restock your pantry, get some ingredients for tonight's dinner, or just need some help carrying the heavier stuff - all you have to do is place your order, and we'll take care of the rest."
The service is presented as a one-stop solution which allows consumers to shop at stores such as Target and Costco at one place and arrange for deliveries from each store.
The payment for Google Express can be made online using Google Payments or through an Android or iOS app. The move by Google follows Amazon's delivery service program. Last November, Amazon had launched next-day grocery delivery service with Amazon Pantry to strengthen its foothold in the supermarket arena.
With the new service, Amazon Pantry customers have gained access to more than 4,000 products ranging from food, health, beauty and drinks. Fresh fruits and vegetables are excluded from the offerings.
