Google to enter grocery delivery business, will partner Whole Food, Costco

From PCs to mobiles to watches, Google’s presence and impact has become almost ubiquitous. Now, the technology giant is all set to enter our kitchens with food and groceries as it maps plans for an e-retailing style venture. 

According to reports, the US multinational will start testing a delivery service for fresh food and groceries in two US cities later this year.

Quoting Brian Elliott, general manager of Google Express, news agency Bloomberg reported that the pilot project would be kicked off in San Francisco and one more, as yet unnamed, city. Whole Foods Market Inc., which with its organic, premium selections caters to an upscale clientele, and Costco Wholesale Corp., which is one of the country’s largest low-cost, discount retailers, will be Google’s partners for the new service.
 

Google Express already delivers merchandise, including dry foods, to customers.

Google’s entry will heighten the competition with online retailer Amazon.com Inc. and start-up Instacart Inc.

According to Bloomberg, online grocery shopping is a $10.9 billion industry in the US and is slated to grow at 9.6% annually through 2019.