--- title: "Grocery & perishables" url: "https://home.picup.co.za/industries/grocery-perishables/" type: "industry" published: "2026-09-15T13:32:34+02:00" modified: "2026-10-09T10:20:04+02:00" author: "" --- Grocery logistics # Logistics management for grocery. Instant collection and delivery service for perishables such as groceries and meal kit companies needing a bespoke delivery solution. [Book a software demo](/contact-us/?enquiry=software) The problem we solve ## Online ordering and grocery. Picup's dedicated order placement portal and delivery management software allows individual stores the ability to manage their daily delivery volume, allowing for easy processing and dispatch. Industry challenge ### Same-hour expectations, rising costs Meeting customer expectations for same-day or same-hour delivery drives up delivery costs and makes it difficult to scale across multiple locations. ![Picup driver stacking grocery meal kit boxes](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/industry-challenge-grocery-perishables.webp?v=1793272377) Our solution ### On-demand dispatch Picup's on-demand dispatch software for on-demand and multi-parcel delivery ensures in-time delivery and customer satisfaction every step of the way, allowing you to focus on the essential aspects of your business. What we offer ## Key features developed for the grocery industry. Everything you need to manage fast, on-demand deliveries for perishables and meal kits. ### Instant collection Choose 30 minute, 60 minute or 3 hour delivery depending on the radius you want to service. ### Order merge AI backed order grouping for optimised pricing and efficiency. ### Predictive ETA Save time with automatic estimation of arrival times. ### Route prioritisation Push the most time-critical orders to the front of the route so perishables move first. ### Dynamic routing Achieve the most efficient performance and cost optimisation on all routing. ### Distribution analytics Utilise historical transaction data to drive continuous improvement. Connecting leading brands to their customers - ![Pick n Pay asap! logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pick-n-pay-asap-white-1-300x167.webp?v=1793272392) - ![Dis-Chem logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/dischem-white-1-300x42.webp?v=1793272389) - ![Amazon logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/amazon-white-1-300x91.webp?v=1793272388) - ![iStore logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/istore-white-1.webp?v=1793272392) - ![Nando's logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nandos-white-1-300x113.webp?v=1793272392) - ![Michelin logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/michelin-white-1-300x107.webp?v=1793272392) - ![Battery Centre logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/battery-centre-white-1-300x100.webp?v=1793272388) - ![Charly's Bakery logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/charlys-bakery-white-1-300x162.webp?v=1793272389) - ![Montego logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/montego-white-1-226x300.webp?v=1793272392) - ![Julep logo](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/julep-white-1-300x236.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/pick-n-pay-asap-white-1-300x167.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/dischem-white-1-300x42.webp?v=1793272389) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/amazon-white-1-300x91.webp?v=1793272388) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/istore-white-1.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nandos-white-1-300x113.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/michelin-white-1-300x107.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/battery-centre-white-1-300x100.webp?v=1793272388) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/charlys-bakery-white-1-300x162.webp?v=1793272389) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/montego-white-1-226x300.webp?v=1793272392) - ![](https://home.picup.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/julep-white-1-300x236.webp?v=1793272392) ## Frequently asked questions. ### How does Picup ensure that fresh groceries and cold-chain items stay fresh during transit? When it comes to food and perishables, speed is the ultimate freshness guarantee. Our Turbo on-demand service ensures that grocery orders are collected and delivered within a tight 30 to 60 minute window. By slashing the time a parcel spends on the road, we drastically minimise temperature fluctuations. Our intelligent routing also ensures drivers take the fastest path, meaning ice cream stays frozen and fresh produce arrives exactly as it left the store shelves. ### Can your platform handle both instant, on-demand food orders and scheduled weekly grocery shops? Yes, our platform is built to manage the dual demands of modern grocery retail. You can route rapid, point-to-point deliveries through our on-demand dispatch engine for instant customer gratification. For large weekly basket buy-ins you can use our Time Slot Planner. This schedules deliveries in predefined windows, allowing our AI to batch multiple orders heading to the same neighbourhood into a single, cost-effective delivery run. ### Can Picup integrate directly with our in-store picking and packing or dark store systems? Absolutely. Seamless tech integration is critical for fast-paced grocery operations. Picup's open API plugs directly into your existing point of sale, warehouse management system or specialised dark store picking apps. The moment an in-store picker scans the final item and marks the order as packed, a delivery request is automatically triggered on Picup, instantly allocating the nearest available driver to the dispatch bay. This automated handoff removes manual administration, so your dispatch line moves as fast as your picking team. ### What happens if a customer is not home to receive their grocery delivery, given that the contents are perishable? Because groceries cannot simply be left on a doorstep or returned to a regular warehouse overnight, we focus heavily on prevention. We keep the end customer highly engaged via automated SMS or WhatsApp alerts containing a live tracking link and an accurate ETA. If a customer is still unavailable, our native driver app allows the driver to communicate directly with them. If a delivery completely fails, the system immediately flags a return-to-store protocol to ensure the perishables are brought back to temperature-controlled environments safely. ### How do you guarantee drivers find complex apartment blocks or security estates before food spoils? Finding the right unit in South Africa's large security complexes and estates can easily waste 15 minutes of transit time. Picup's built-in Geocoding Service prevents this by converting text addresses into precise latitude and longitude coordinates. Our native integration with what3words also allows your customers to pin the exact 3 metre square where they want the delivery to happen, whether that is a specific apartment block entrance, a back door or an estate delivery bay, ensuring a seamless first-time drop. ## Ready to deliver faster? Start offering on-demand and time slot deliveries to your customers today. [Talk to sales](/contact-us/)