Not content to merely drive toilet paper to your front door as the company's service does currently, Google Express — the delivery arm of Alphabet, FKA Google — now seeks to become a go-to provider for all your grocery store needs. The same-day delivery service, which until this moment has limited itself to non-perishable goods, announced yesterday a pilot program to deliver fresh foods such as milk and meat on the day customers order them.
The program, which began yesterday, is currently limited to Los Angeles and San Francisco, but will likely expand to other major cities if deemed successful. The expansion of services is perhaps best read as an attempt to catch up to Amazon and Instacart — both of whom already offer same-day delivery of fresh foods.
So, does this stuff come from Google farms, or what? If you're in SF and you order a banana from Google Express, USA Today reports, it will come from either Costco, Smart & Final, or Whole Foods.
"We've heard your feedback that you'd love for Express to help you check off your entire grocery list," Cnet reports Google Express manager Prabhu Balasubramanian as explaining.
This news, though, is perhaps surprising in light of recent labor troubles faced by the delivery service. In August of last year, Google went so far as to shut down delivery hubs in Mountain View and San Francisco, a response, some argued, to workers' efforts to unionize.
Delivery of perishables comes at $4.99 if you're not a "Google Express Member," notes Cnet, and the food theoretically shows up at your door within a two-hour window.
