Dive Brief:

• Giant Food has relaunched its grocery delivery service as Giant Delivers, according to a company press release. Rebranded Giant Delivers trucks began operating Monday.
• Giant Delivers, formerly known as Peapod by Giant​, offers next-day delivery to more than 6 million shoppers in the chain's operating region. Giant Delivers is also piloting same-day delivery in downtown Washington, D.C.
• Customers can get unlimited grocery deliveries for a one-time annual fee of $99, the company said, though the fee is not required for customers to get groceries delivered. 

Dive Insight:

Changing the grocery delivery service to reflect the Giant name instead of Peapod's should provide a more cohesive shopping experience for consumers — something that’s becoming increasingly important in the e-commerce age. While Peapod has been providing grocery delivery in the region for decades, putting Giant at the forefront of the offering will ensure its shoppers know they can order grocery delivery from the banner. 

The grocer said its delivery assortment will expand with the rebrand, including new items, plant-based foods and local products. Giant Delivers will also offer more than 20 meal kits for delivery. The company didn’t say which meal kit brands it would offer, but Giant does have its own private label meal kits and also has a partnership with HelloFresh to sell kits in-store.

The new look and feel of the Giant Delivers brand is intended to offer a modern aesthetic. Features on the app and website will complement the brand and support the grocer’s customer campaign, "The Little Things are Giant," which is geared toward helping customers save time, according to the release.

In addition to Giant Delivers, the grocery banner will continue to roll out Giant Pickup to more locations in the region. Giant Pickup is currently available at more than 65 locations, with plans for 100 locations in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia and Delaware by year’s end, the company said. 

The annual $99 price tag for unlimited grocery delivery is competitive with most retailers’ latest delivery ploys — from Shipt and Instacart to Walmart and Amazon Prime. It won’t be long before an annual membership or fee for delivery is the status quo among major grocers looking boost customer retention.

Grocery banners operating under Ahold Delhaize have continued to make individual progress on their e-commerce brands this year, with Stop & Shop, Food Lion and Giant introducing or expanding grocery pickup. Giant Food Stores, an entity separate from Giant Food, has been operating its delivery and pickup under the Giant Direct banner for several months. While Peapod powers delivery for each brand, the service may begin to fade into the background as Ahold Delhaize focuses on delivering a unified customer experience within each banner.