One of the many wonderfully symbiotic and successful partnerships to emerge at the start of the pandemic was that of the grocer and restaurateur. With prepared foods and deli operations initially shut down at supermarkets across the country and many restaurants shuttered completely just as abruptly, savvy partnerships formed to bring consumers what they still wanted—food from their favorite restaurants.
With the end of Prohibition came the end of the speakeasy. So, the question is, as vaccines continue to roll out and restaurants reopen, will grocery shoppers still want access to not only restaurant-quality, but actual restaurant-made food from their local supermarket?
FreshDirect is counting on it. The Northeast-based online food grocer acquired by Ahold Delhaize earlier this year was looking to meet its customers still at home while providing a new revenue stream for itself and local restaurateurs looking for ways to expand their business model and bottom line. With the help of FreshDirect’s merchant team, three New York City culinary favorites—Carbone, Nom Wah and Milk Bar—are debuting restaurant-inspired products for customers to prepare in their kitchens and enjoy at home, available for delivery through the online grocer.