Housebound Americans looking to avoid supermarket anxiety have been bombarding FreshDirect, Kroger, Amazon and others for more than a month now. Incessant clicking in the hope of scoring a slot – followed by sudden cancellations or half-filled orders – are the new normal.
Seizing this opportunity, smaller upstarts have stepped in – aiming to satisfy the intense demand while building customer loyalty for when the pandemic recedes. For some of them, it’s been boom times – perhaps too much so. The logistics of being a small online grocer with a sudden surge of orders can be brutal, and ramping up a grocery delivery business can’t be done overnight.