Finns can now pick up parcels and groceries from automated parcel machines
Smartmile has teamed up with the Finnish retail chain K-Group to deliver online grocery orders into automated parcel machines.
Finns can pick up their groceries from a Smartmile parcel machine by using K-Group’s K-Ruoka app.
The new service is available in K-Supermarket Nekala, Tampere and K-Supermarket Torikulma, Iisalmi, in Finland. This means people can pick up their parcels and groceries at the same time from a Smartmile machine.
Smartmile is one of the first companies in Finland offering such service. Smartmile and K-Group plan to expand the network of parcel machines offering grocery delivery in the near future.
The groceries are kept in thermo boxes inside the parcel machines which enables the food – whether warm, cold or frozen – to stay fresh. The robot inside the machine then brings the thermo box to the customer. The robotic parcel machines are manufactured by Konecranes.
”K-Group aims to develop innovative future solutions for service offerings in K-stores and Smartmile’s automated parcel machines are a great example of these new services. Our preliminary experiences of parcel machines that enable food delivery are very positive. The customer benefits of picking up all of their online purchases and pre-ordered groceries simultaneously from the same machine. The customer can also choose a pickup time that is suitable for them according to the store’s opening hours” says Kesko’s Service Director Petri Toivonen.
“We constantly develop our services to respond to our customers’ needs to make everyday life easier. Our customers’ wish has been to pick up their groceries and online purchases simultaneously. Therefore, we are really excited to start delivering groceries with K-Group,” says Smartmile’s CEO and co-founder Aku Happo.
