The Fresh Market raises the bar for curbside pickup

The Fresh Market has upped the service level for click-and-collect via a program dubbed “The Friendliest Curbside Experience in America.”

The Greensboro, N.C.-based specialty grocer said Tuesday that the initiative offers curbside pickup customers designated personal shoppers, orders that are double-checked by managers and verified with their signature, and wait times of less than five minutes for groceries to be brought to their vehicle.

All items in the order are 100% satisfaction guaranteed, and The Fresh Market serves up “wow moments” to surprise curbside customers, such as having costumed Santas bring out their orders during the Christmas shopping season.

The Fresh Market's enhanced service offers curbside pickup customers designated personal shoppers, with orders that are double-checked and verified by managers. 

The Fresh Market said it rolled out the Friendliest Curbside Experience in America program to all of its 159 stores in 22 states as of Dec. 12. Since then, the number of curbside orders has “grown significantly,” with an average guest rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars, according to the retailer. Wait times have decreased further, and order fill rates have “substantially improved,” the chain said.

“We’re committed to creating and curating the very best and most delicious food for our guests every day,” Brian Johnson, senior vice president of operations at The Fresh Market, said in a statement. “Along with the 100% satisfaction guarantee on every item, we have added special touches, such as bringing you a bottle of water on a hot day, or a banana or clementine for your children. Our personal shoppers are in constant contact with you while fulfilling your order and also write personalized thank you notes to our guests with recipe suggestions, products they think you’d like to try next time, along with other thoughtful touches.”

Related:The Fresh Market serves up fine dining for dinner

Customers can access curbside pickup service by ordering groceries on The Fresh Market website or mobile app, which comes in iOS and Android versions. Through April 30, new curbside users can enter the code “10OFF60” at checkout to get $10 off their online purchase of $60 or more. 

The Friendliest Curbside Experience in America program comes nearly a year after The Fresh Market launched a new online store in tandem with a new mobile app. The enhanced online presence arose from The Fresh Market’s partnership with Instacart, through which the retailer offers both online grocery delivery and pickup. The Fresh Market and San Francisco-based Instacart began piloting same-day delivery in 2018 and launched the service chainwide in May 2019.

Related:The Fresh Market goes live with new online store