A new online grocery delivery service will be launched in Japan in the third quarter of 2018.
The service is called Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper and will be run as a joint venture between Rakuten, Japan’s largest e-commerce website, and Seiyu GK, a Walmart subsidiary.
Products from the Seiyu stores will be delivered direct, as well as from a newly created fulfilment centre.
Food Navigator Asia reported that the new venture will maintain Seiyu’s high quality and low price promise, and will include personalised offerings through the use of big data and AI.
Fresh produce, convenience items (such as pre-cut vegetables), ready meals and local gourmet products will all be available through Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper.
The announcement comes off the back of other Asian retail giants who have recently collaborated to combine e-commerce with bricks and mortar, like Tencent with Carrefour, and Alibaba with JD.com.
