Online supermarket Picnic has expanded its business to Hesse, Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
The move follows weeks after the online retailer launched its services in Hamburg and Berlin.
Picnic offers groceries online at supermarket prices and delivers them free of charge.
The company aims to reach more than four million households in the three federal states.
Ahead of the launch, 40,000 households from the region had already registered with the grocer.
It plans to set up locations in both large and smaller cities of 40,000 households and more. It will create around 3,000 jobs and the company is seeking employees for the same.
"Every day we receive hundreds of inquiries from families in the region who would like to order their weekly shopping from Picnic," says Frederic Knaudt from the founding team of Picnic Germany. "In particular, young families should benefit from Picnic."
Logistics
Picnic has opened its first fulfilment centre in south-west Germany in Viernheim, which will see the creation of more than 300 jobs.
Previously, the 24,655 square-metre facility housed a central warehouse for Kaufhof AG.
The company plans to fulfil weekly shopping orders for thousands of families in Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg.
Matthias Baass, mayor of the city of Viernheim, said, "It is the largest new settlement in recent history, and it also has a promising, innovative concept."
How It Works
Shoppers can order groceries and everyday products from Picnic for next-day delivery until 23:00. Orders are delivered from Monday to Saturday before 22:00.
The online retailer offers around 10,000 products, comprising food and drugstore items from well-known brands and private labels, as well as regional products.
Picnic drives through the neighborhoods on fixed routes, with each driver delivering six to eight orders per hour.
As the groceries are sold directly from the warehouse to the customers, the company saves on operating costs for shops.
It also cuts food waste as products are only delivered if ordered by 23:00 the previous evening.
"Picnic makes grocery shopping more convenient, cheaper and more sustainable," added Knaudt.
