New drive-thru grocer JackBe expands

A new-to-market grocer that eliminates in-store shopping is growing in its home state.

Curbside drive-thru grocer JackBe, which made its debut at the beginning of this year, has opened its second outpost. Both locations are in Edmond, Okla. A third is set open by the end of the year, in Mustang, Okla.

In a release, the company said that during its initial location’s first few months of operation, more than 50% of the people who tried it returned to order more groceries.

JackBe stores operate exclusively as a location where customers go to pick up their groceries, which are ordered on the grocer’s mobile app. They drive to the location, where their handpicked order is delivered to their car in minutes. JackBe guarantees no substitutions 100% of the time, and has no minimum order requirement or additional membership or delivery fees.

The new JackBe, which served as the company’s new corporate headquarters, occupies more than 42,000 sq. ft. in total and includes a test kitchen and other amenities. It includes a 22,000-sq.-ft. store that stocks the most frequently purchased products customers need to restock the home, with the ability to serve up to 200 orders per hour.

“We are thrilled to be opening our second location and to expand our mission to introduce a new way to shop, providing high-quality products with fast grocery service, which equates to the ultimate convenience for our customers," said Alex Ruhter, CEO, JackBe. "Every industry is subject to disruption, and grocery is no different. After researching the market, we knew that the traditional business model of in-store shopping didn't fit with convenience-minded, tech-savvy shoppers. What we offer, an app-driven, curbside drive-up grocery model, is resonating."

In March, JackBe announced it had raised $11.5 million in capital to fast-track development and expansion of the business. The company said it is building stores around solving traditional grocery drawbacks: limited availability, dictated pickup time slots, lack of quality products and substituting out-of-stock items.