MerryMart Grocery Center Inc. is capitalizing on the rise of on-demand grocery delivery service with a partnership with FoodPanda. The supermarket subsidiary of Edgar “Injap” Sia’s listed MerryMart Consumer Corp. has signed an agreement with food delivery platform FoodPanda Philippines through its instant grocery delivery service PandaMart to operate and pioneer a “dark grocery” store concept in the country.
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The company defines “dark groceries” as supermarket branches that will generally be “invisible” and will cater solely to online deliveries within its vicinity.
In a news release, MerryMart said the goal of its partnership with FoodPanda is to be “the first 15-minute grocery delivery service in the country.”
“This concept is a real game changer in the online grocery space,” said MerryMart Chairman Edgar “Injap” Sia II. “Imagine being able to buy exactly what you need, when you need it, and for it to arrive at your doorstep in a very short span of time. We are glad to join forces with the global delivery platform FoodPanda to power this ‘dark grocery’ store concept as they are the leaders in the online food delivery space."
Sia added that these “dark grocery” stores that will be located in select hidden locations will complement the expansion of their brick-and-mortar MerryMart branches that will serve both delivery and walk-in customers.
“Our team and myself will continue to be relentless and determined to nurture and exponentially grow both DoubleDragon and MerryMart in this new decade,” he added.
PandaMart is Foodpanda’s on-demand grocery delivery system that covers convenience grocery goods, personal care essentials, and other fast moving consumer goods.
MerryMart said that the first two “dark grocery” stores are set to start operations in Makati City and Manila City this October 2020
MerryMart, which debuted in the Philippine Stock Exchange last July, now has a total of 11 operational branches and targets to end of the year with 25 branches. It aims to open its 100th branch by December 2021.
FoodPanda Philippines, meanwhile, has over 20,000 riders and is present in 71 cities across the country.
