Today in Food Commerce: Instacart and Walmart Canada Launch Virtual C-Store; Gorillas Exits Belgium

Today in food commerce, Domino’s taps drone delivery, and Instacart and Walmart Canada announce the creation of virtual convenience store Walmart Now. Plus, Gorillas closes its Belgium warehouses.

Domino’s Drone Push Lifts Last-Mile Delivery Fight to New Heights

Domino’s, an incumbent in the meal delivery space, has been looking to a range of different solutions to ameliorate its delivery woes. Most recently, on Thursday (June 23), Domino’s New Zealand drone delivery partner SkyDrop announced that it has completed production of the drone fleet for its commercial delivery trial with the pizza chain. The trial is expected to go live in the months ahead.

Gorillas Leaves Belgium, Hands Off Some Business to Efarmz

On-demand grocery delivery startup Gorillas is closing its warehouses in Belgium and handing off some of its business for undisclosed terms to Belgium organic and seasonal products delivery firm Efarmz, Reuters reported on Friday (June 24). Like many delivery firms bringing supermarket food and other essentials to people’s doorsteps during the pandemic, Gorillas experienced high demand followed by fast-paced expansion.

Zomato Buying Grocery Delivery Startup Blinkit for $568M

Indian food delivery firm Zomato is buying local grocery delivery startup Blinkit for 44.47 billion rupees ($568.2 million) in an all-stock deal as part of its effort to expand its capabilities in the space as the competition becomes more rampant, according to a Reuters report Friday.

Instacart Takes on DashMart with Walmart Canada Partnership

As restaurant and grocery aggregators increasingly compete for the same occasions, Instacart is challenging its restaurant competitors’ hold on the virtual convenience store space. On Thursday, the grocery delivery service announced the expansion of its partnership with Walmart in Canada to launch Walmart Now, a virtual, delivery-only convenience store, bringing essentials to consumers’ doors within 30 minutes.

Restaurant Roundup: Brands Add Drive-Thru Lanes, Robotics

Smokey Bones adds a drive-thru lane, Kura Sushi implements robotic waiters, and Wingstop expands to Canada.