ONLINE GROCERY INNOVATION
Restaurants add delivery services
With a supply chain already in place to stock their three restaurants and confident they weren’t alone in the frustrations they’d experienced grocery shopping, Andrew Corbett and his copartners Matt and Christian Komsa turned frustration into inspiration.
The trio used those connections to create an online grocery store and delivery service that has helped keep three of their four restaurants open.
“The moment COVID-19 happened it was devastating for our businesses to go from busy, viable operations to having zero cash flow because we got shut down,” Corbett said. “We had to come up with some ideas right away to stay afloat, survive and keep some people employed.”
The trio owns the two local G.O.A.T. Tap and Eaterys in Lakeshore and Lasalle, and downtown’s Bull and Barrel and Wild Child Nightclub. Only the nightclub is shut down.
Currently there are managers at each open site, along with four chefs and eight part-time employees scattered across the operation.
Normally the four businesses would employ 200.
“Matt got the idea of using our supply chain to create an e-commerce grocery store one day when it took him forever to do groceries,” Corbett said. “He thought we had the contacts to get supplies at good prices and we could deliver it. We were open by late March.”
The online store is called The G.O.A.T. Grocery Store.
Customers can pick up their orders on Wednesday or Saturday at either the Lakeshore or Lasalle G.O.A.T. Tap and Eatery location, or they can have it delivered to their home.
For the delivery service, a flat fee of $7.50 is charged and the deadline for Wednesday orders is 2 p.m. Monday while for Saturday the deadline is 2 p.m. Thursday.
The delivery service is offered throughout Lakeshore, Tecumseh, Windsor, Lasalle, Amherstburg and some portions of Essex.
The e-commerce platform they’re using even designs the most efficient delivery route for orders that are delivered by staff.
The online store offers a selection of 200 essential items and has added beer, wine and alcohol recently.
In addition, the site has partnered with the Windsor startup PPE online to offer a variety of personal protection equipment, some of it made by Windsor-area firms.
Both businesses will donate a portion of their proceeds from the sale of the PPE equipment to the Transition to Betterness campaign.
“Seniors and health-care workers are two of our biggest customer groups,” Corbett said.
“We offer both groups free delivery. I have 20 seniors on speed dial on my phone for twice-a-week orders.”
This week the innovative trio is stepping out another limb by holding a “Fill Your Freezer” truckload promotion.
Orders are being taken up until Thursday afternoon for meat packages to be picked up Friday at the G.O.A.T. in Lasalle.
“One of our suppliers has been doing this protein package promotion where they bring a semi-truck load full into a location,” Corbett said.
“They’re offering great prices to stock up for barbecue season. We started taking orders last Thursday and it’s really taking off. We’re getting dozens of orders each day.”
Corbett said online grocery service has proven successful enough they intend to continue to offer it POST-COVID-19.
The challenge will be the logistics of running the grocery store after the restaurants open up, and finding enough storage.
“The grocery business has allowed us to keep some cash flowing and people employed,” Corbett said.
“We’re extremely happy with the response. We’ve definitely learned how to adapt.”
The moment COVID-19 happened ... we had to come up with some ideas right away to stay afloat, survive and keep some people employed.