Online grocery shopping app Groon launches in the UAE

In line with the UAE government’s aim to offer digital platforms across all walks of life and the Dubai government’s strategy to promote e-commerce, an online grocery shopping app Groon has been launched.

Groon is, reportedly, the world’s first digital platform that provides ‘Cart Comparison’ option for users to compare prices as well as convenience while ordering groceries online from the neighbouring grocery stores.

“This is the first time that an app will provide Cart Comparison to its users. The Cart Comparison feature is similar to airlines ticket purchase option, whereby the customer will have the option to choose to order from more than one grocery store at the time of checkout based on the price and convenience,” explains Groon co-founder Sajida Yusuf.

Users can access the Groon platform through www.groon.com or download the app from App Store or Google Play Store.

Featuring a unique hyper local interface that plans to grow across all emirates, Groon will help users to avoid time spent in traffic, cashier queues, parking issues etc. while shopping daily grocery needs. With around 100 grocery stores partnered during its launch, Groon plans to have about 6,000 grocery stores onboard by the end of this year. Available as a web and a mobile version, there are around 4,000 different grocery items listed on the Groon platform.

“While most of the grocery shopping apps offer to only one segment of customers, Groon will be available to varied customers across emirates. In addition, the big players are focusing only on large chain groceries, while Groon is the only platform which connects the single store and convenient stores. In total there about 13,000 small grocers in the country that are doing business jointly of about $500 million annually in the UAE. GCC-wide this this number could go up to $10 billion. There is high potential and with an organised and digital platform this could go further up and provide savings and profits across the entire system,” Yusuf adds.

“With over AED1 million investments till date, we aim to attract angel investors and venture capitalist to inject into the application to take it to the next level. We are also looking at expanding our portfolio to around 13,000 groceries across the country with an organic expansion in the GCC,” she states.

“In addition, Groon will soon be an augmented purchasing reality based app that functions on the buying and product pattern. Customers will not have to bother if there is no milk, eggs or bread at home. The App will be smart enough to keep a track and be able to send out the orders to groceries and ensure timely deliveries,” she concludes.