Supie, the online grocery startup, has announced its plans to open physical stores to compete against and offer New Zealand a third potential grocery shopping option to the established supermarket Foodstuffs and Woolworths duopoly.
The founder and CEO of Supie, Sarah Balle, said that the startup has approximately 55,000 customers and 130 staff. The expansion into physical stores has begun with a first location currently decided upon.
However, unlike other supermarkets, Balle said the Supie alternative would not adhere to the traditional supermarket layout, favouring a smaller, community-centric approach with efficient, high technology in an unmanned space.
The store aims to be a midweek 'top-up' location for customers looking for a handful of ingredients, fresh produce, or products to top-up during the week. Ultimately the aim is to support New Zealanders, particularly in regional and rural areas, with accessibility to a quick and easy shop.
With growing innovations and trialled unmanned stores in Europe, Supie is looking to introduce these high-tech solutions to New Zealand, which is open 24/7.
Currently, Supie offers grocery delivery services in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, and Rotorua.
