First U.S. Grocer to Partner with Leading Robot Delivery Company Prepares to Launch Service in Modesto
MODESTO, CA | September 9, 2020
The Save Mart Companies today has announced plans to launch an on-demand grocery delivery service to its guests in partnership with leading robot delivery company Starship Technologies. The Save Mart Companies is the first grocer in the U.S. to partner with Starship Technologies. Based in San Francisco and a leader in the field, Starship Technologies recently passed the 500,000 autonomous deliveries milestone.
The robots, each of which will be able to carry up to 20 pounds of groceries – the equivalent of about three shopping bags – and travel up to four miles roundtrip, will provide a safe, low-cost and contactless delivery alternative for Save Mart shoppers, allowing them to order thousands of items via the Starship platform for on-demand delivery straight to their door.
“We continually seek new ways to serve our communities and offer solutions for efficient, safe and healthy grocery shopping,” said Robert Cady, senior director of marketing strategy and analytics for The Save Mart Companies. “Through our partnership with Starship Technologies, Save Mart is pleased once again to lead the way in customer service and innovation.”
“With the onset of the pandemic, our service became increasingly important to thousands of residents in communities across the U.S.,” said Ryan Tuohy, SVP Business Development at Starship Technologies. “Save Mart is a loved brand that has deep ties to its local communities, which is why we’re especially excited about this partnership. Working together with The Save Mart Companies, we will be able to provide a safe, convenient and well-priced delivery option for tens of thousands of residents.”
Shoppers will be able to access the Starship – Food Delivery app (iOS and Android) to choose from a range of their favorite groceries, food and drink items, then indicate where they want their purchases delivered. Once an order is submitted, Save Mart team members wear required masks and gloves to gather delivery items and carefully place in the clean robot. Every robot is sanitized before each order. Shoppers can then watch, via an interactive map, as the robot makes its journey to them. Once the robot arrives, they receive an alert, and can then meet and unlock it through the app. The delivery will typically take just a matter of minutes, depending on the items ordered and the distance the robot must travel. The initial delivery area is bordered by McHenry Avenue to the west, Claratina Avenue to the north, Claus Road to the east and Briggsmore Avenue to the south.
Starship Technologies operates commercially on a daily basis around the world. Its robots have completed over 500,000 autonomous deliveries and crossed more than five million streets. The robots move at pedestrian speed and use a combination of sophisticated machine learning, artificial intelligence and sensors to travel on sidewalks and navigate around obstacles. The computer vision-based navigation helps the robots to map their environment to the nearest inch. The robots can cross streets, climb curbs, travel at night and operate in both rain and snow. A team of humans can also monitor their progress remotely and can take control at a moment’s notice.
For high-res images and video footage, please visit the link here. Credit: The Save Mart Companies.
About The Save Mart Companies:
The Save Mart Companies (TSMC) operate 206 stores throughout California and Northern Nevada under the banners of FoodMaxx, Lucky, Lucky California and Save Mart. Based in the Central Valley, TSMC is committed to sourcing a wide variety of local products to communities throughout California and Northern Nevada. In addition to its retail operation, the company also operates Smart Refrigerated Transport and is a partner in Super Store Industries (SSI), which owns and operates a distribution center in Lathrop and the Sunnyside Farms dairy processing plant in Turlock. For more information on the company, please visit: www.TheSaveMartCompanies.com.
ABOUT STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES:
Starship Technologies is revolutionizing deliveries with autonomous robots. The robots are designed to deliver food, groceries and packages locally in minutes. The delivery robots have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles and met millions of people across 100 cities around the world. They drive autonomously but are monitored by humans who can take control at any time. Starship was founded by two Skype co-founders, Ahti Heinla and Janus Friis. Former AirBnB executive Lex Bayer is CEO
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Erin Wickman, Rosemary O’Brien, Don Williams
Glodow Nead Communications for The Save Mart Companies
TSMCPR@glodownead.com
Henry Harris-Burland
VP of Marketing
Starship Technologies
henry.harris-burland@starship.xyz
Janel Steinberg (US) / James Meredith (UK)
Liberty Communications for Starship Technologies
starship@libertycomms.com
+1 415 429 5652 / +44 207 751 4444
TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH STARSHIP TECHNOLOGIES RELATED NEWS, IMAGES AND VIDEO, SIGN UP AND DOWNLOAD AT: https://www.starship.xyz/press
