Co-op launches new vegan range; expands same-day delivery

Co-op has announced an exclusive new vegan brand, GRO, which is all set to hit the shelves in January.

The retailer also said it will offer same-day online city-centre deliveries from 650 stores across the UK this year.

The new vegan range will be available at Co-op and independent stores, as well as online. The launch comes in the wake of meat-free food market topping £1 billion for the first time.

“We have to provide fantastic products and services with strong ethics and a purposeful focus on convenience. Our new vegan range taps into the latest consumer trends and our online services meet the growing appetite for fast home deliveries,” said Jo Whitfield, chief executive of Co-op Food.

The GRO range features over 35 meat-free products and will be stocked in 2,000 Co-op stores and in up to 4,000 independent retailers through Nisa.

The online same-day delivery services will be available at nearly 100 towns and cities, served by 650 Co-op stores over the next 12 months.

The service is currently available in London and Manchester and will expand to Brighton, Bournemouth, Southampton this month.

The rollout includes services from Co-op’s own dedicated online shop. The online shop will be available from around 250 stores.

Co-op has also announced the expansion of its partnership with Deliveroo to 400 stores, reaching around 100 major towns and cities. The service provides on-demand delivery of convenience grocery essentials in under 30 minutes.

The full GRO range will be available in 300 Co-op stores across the UK. Selected lines will be stocked in other Co-op stores and independent retailers from 8 January.

The launch will take Co-op’s total food and wine vegan range to over 1,000 products. The retailer added that its beer and cider range will become vegan in 2020.