Keasbey, NJ — The future has arrived at the ShopRite of Yardley and the ShopRite of Bethlehem, where customers can be the first to take advantage of innovative battery-powered delivery robots for same day home grocery delivery. The remote controlled, robotic carts will make their northeast debut at the two stores and are designed to meet growing consumer demand for faster home delivery.
Tortoise rolls out at the ShopRite of Yardley this week and the ShopRite of Bethlehem next month.
The service is available as part of a new pilot program between Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned supermarket cooperative in the nation and the logistics, distribution and marketing arm for ShopRite stores, and technology company Tortoise, which provides affordable and sustainable last-mile delivery options. ShopRite is the first supermarket on the east coast to utilize the technology and the delivery robots will turn out of the ShopRite of Yardley at 1603 Big Oak Rd., Yardley, and the ShopRite of Bethlehem, located at 4701 Freemansburg Ave. in Bethlehem, PA.
“We are excited to launch this revolutionary new technology. Demand for ever faster home delivery continues to increase and we believe this provides another innovative way for ShopRite customers to receive their groceries quickly and efficiently,” said Wakefern Chariman and CEO Joe Colalillo, who also serves as president of the ShopRite of Hunterdon County and operator of the Yardley and Bethlehem stores. “Tortoise’s battery-powered cart is a unique, environmentally-friendly and cost-effective delivery option for our customers who shop online.”
With an average speed of three miles per hour, the remote-controlled, zero-emissions carts typically travel on sidewalks or the side of the road, and are tele-operated by trained remote drivers. The delivery cart can hold up to 150 pounds in four lockable containers that support ambient, chilled and frozen groceries. ShopRite customers are alerted to the arrival of the order via a text message that can also be used to unlock the cart to unload groceries.
“Wakefern is our first customer on the east coast to use this innovative delivery system and we believe shoppers will love the convenience Tortoise offers,” added Dmitry Shevelenko, co-founder of the California-based company, Tortoise. “Our electric cart allows ShopRite associates to focus less on the delivery of products and more on helping customers to improve the shopping experience.”
Delivery Solutions, another company that specializes in helping retailers maximize online delivery services and provide same-day delivery, worked with Wakefern and Tortoise to support the new delivery robots with real-time order tracking and scheduling.
“We are excited to deliver on our promise to futureproof fulfillment for ShopRite. Tortoise is the latest in a series of fulfillment options ShopRite will orchestrate against to provide superior customer experiences,” said Manil Uppal, founder of Delivery Solutions.
The Tortoise delivery system is another contactless option for ShopRite customers looking for added layers of protection due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, ShopRite offers online grocery delivery through a variety of last mile providers. Tortoise, which offers the latest cutting-edge method for home delivery, will start providing service first at the Yardley store, followed by a roll-out at the Bethlehem store later in October.
About Shoprite
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, NJ, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the United States. With nearly 280 ShopRite supermarkets located throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland, ShopRite serves millions of customers each week. Through its ShopRite Partners In Caring program, ShopRite is dedicated to fighting hunger in the communities it serves. Since the program began in 1999, ShopRite Partners In Caring has donated nearly $50 million to food banks that support more than 2,200 worthy charities. As a title sponsor of the ShopRite LPGA Classic Presented by Acer, ShopRite has donated $34 million to local organizations, hospitals and community groups. For more information, please visit www.shoprite.com
About Tortoise
Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Mountain View, CA, Tortoise automates logistics for light electric vehicles, including their first-of-its-kind remote-controlled grocery & package delivery robot, the Tortoise Cart. Tortoise works with partners worldwide to provide the most cost-effective, zero-emissions way to move anything from A to B safely.
For more information, please visit www.tortoise.dev
About Delivery Solutions
Delivery Solutions is the leading provider of intelligent solutions that aggregate, orchestrate and optimize last-mile delivery. The company helps enable omnichannel retailing with a suite of solutions for same-day delivery, curbside, in-store pickup, shipping and enhanced post-purchase customer experiences. Leading retailers in every category—including grocery, beauty, big and bulky, restaurants and specialty retail—rely on Delivery Solutions to deliver a great customer experience. Delivery Solutions is headquartered in Plano, TX. For more information, visit www.DeliverySolutions.co or contact info@deliverysolutions.co.
