bp, Uber Eats partner on ambitious convenience delivery deal

Convenience giant bp is teaming with Uber Technologies on a new global strategic convenience delivery partnership, extending their existing local arrangements to reach more consumers across the world, the companies announced Tuesday. Together, bp and Uber Eats will offer an extensive range of quality convenience products, including fresh and prepared foods, from select retail locations in parts of the United States and globally.

bp is the first convenience retailer to team up with Uber Eats on a global level and aims to have more than 3,000 retail locations available on the delivery platform over the next three years. The partnership supports bp’s goal of growing its access to customers and expanding its delivery footprint, in response to soaring demand for food, groceries and everyday essentials brought to the door. 

The new partnership covers retail sites on the West Coast of the United States as well as Australia, New Zealand, Poland and South Africa. Sites in the eastern United States and UK will be added to the app for the first time this year, with plans to launch in other European markets beginning in 2023. 

“We’re thrilled to team up with Uber Eats globally giving us the opportunity to reach many more consumers online in addition to those who currently visit our retail sites,” said Emma Delaney, executive vice president customers & products for London-based bp. “We’ve seen how the pandemic has accelerated customer demand for delivered convenience and this partnership will allow us to scale up quickly on the Uber platform. And for the first time, we will be able to offer delivery options to existing customers on our own BPme app by the end of 2023."

Related:Uber Eats extends grocery delivery reach with Albertsons

With 20,500 bp retail sites across the world and 550 million customers living within 20 minutes of a bp retail site, bp and Uber see enormous opportunities for growth. bp sites offer a range of products tailored to local markets that include hot and cold drinks, prepared food options, grocery staples, fresh produce, as well as wine, beer and flowers.  

Since launching grocery delivery in July 2020, Uber has seen consistent growth in the U.S. for the category.

As part of the agreement, Uber Eats and bp will work to introduce delivery options onto bp’s own app, BPme — initially planned to be available in the U.S., UK and Australia by the end of 2023 — powered by Uber Direct. This new offer will allow bp to directly connect its customers to delivery riders, making Uber Eats the select partner in fulfilling these orders. Since 2019, bp has seen a three-fold increase in users of the BPme app, with 16 million active loyalty users worldwide.

Related:Rite Aid expands on-demand delivery nationwide with Uber Eats

In the U.S., Uber Eats will be made available to bp’s network of independently owned retail locations with the goal of making it easy for these partners to sign up to the Uber Eats platform and access benefits based on bp’s scale. 

“With more than 20,500 locations around the world, bp’s reach is enormous — making them critical partners as we pursue our ambitions of helping consumers across the world get what they need delivered to their doorsteps,” said Pierre Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber’s senior vice president of global delivery. “We are proud to support this next phase of the company’s convenience growth through this delivery partnership and look forward to deeper collaboration in the future.”

bp and Uber already work together in mobility with bp providing electric vehicle charging for Uber’s ride-hail drivers. The companies will explore other areas for future cooperation in convenience, including opportunities to utilize low carbon delivery methods to fulfill orders from bp sites.    

The bp partnership falls in line with Uber Eats’ plans to add more grocery delivery options. Since launching grocery delivery in July 2020, Uber has seen consistent growth in the U.S. for the category. The San Francisco-based tech company partnered with Southeastern Grocers, operator of Winn-Dixie and Fresco y Más stores, in September 2020, and last summer expanded its home delivery reach with the addition of 1,200 Albertsons Cos. stores, began a pilot program with Costco in Texas, expanded on-demand delivery to pharmacy chains Walgreens and Rite Aid and partnered with the Smart & Final grocery warehouse chain in January of this year.