This article was published on July 21, 2015

Indian Uber rival Ola launches Android app for local grocery deliveries


Indian Uber rival Ola launches Android app for local grocery deliveries

Indian cab company Ola has launched a new on-demand grocery delivery service today.

Dubbed Ola Store, the service is available in select neighborhoods in Bangalore, via an Android app. The company has partnered with local offline retailers like Namdhari’s Fresh and PNP Retail for its new offering.

Ola Store's interface is clean, but small fonts and images make it a bit difficult to browse
Ola Store’s interface is clean, but small fonts and images make it a bit difficult to browse

The app offers a wide range of groceries including imported dairy products as well as frozen meats and seafood. I was pleasantly surprised to find that prices were on par with those found at my local supermarkets.

Delivery is free for orders over Rs. 250 (about $4), or you can pay a surcharge Rs. 30 ($0.47) for smaller orders. You can opt for immediate delivery — within 60 minutes between 9AM and 11PM — or choose a time slot on either the same day or the next. There are a range of online payment options including Ola’s own mobile wallet.

The app offers a wide range of products
The app offers a wide range of products

The app is currently only available for Android devices, but the company says an iOS version is in the works.

This is Ola’s second foray into the food business. In March, it launched Ola Cafe, a 20-minute meal delivery service that’s now available in four major Indian cities.

Of course, it’s not the first of its kind in the country. BigBasket, Grofers and Peppertap have been carting groceries to customers’ homes for a while now. Uber had trialed a similar service last August, but shut it down in January.

➤ Ola Store [Android via The Economic Times]

Read next: India – the world’s fastest growing startup ecosystem

Get the TNW newsletter

Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.

Also tagged with