MAILPAC Local, the grocery delivery arm of Mailpac Group Limited, announced on Monday it has entered into an operational partnership with Virtual Mart, described as an industry leader, to execute the sourcing and delivery of groceries and household items from its Mailpac Local website.

The value and further details of the deal were not shared. Founded by Godfrey Salmon, Virtualmartja.com describes itself as Jamaica’s largest online, islandwide wholesale, retail and delivery company, with over six different virtual stores (including PriceSmart), over 15,000 products, and over 500 brands in its catalogue.

Products accessible to shoppers range from fresh fruits and vegetables, staples, spices and seasonings to packaged products, beverages, personal care products, meats, electronics, small/large appliances and sporting equipment. The site promises “a wide range of options of the best quality available at the lowest prices”.

Virtual Mart indicates that it offers delivery “anywhere in Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St James, Trelawny, St Ann, St Mary, Portland, and St Thomas, delivering both to households and corporates, restaurants, service stations, hotels, villas and others”. Payment is made online using debit/credit card, NCB/Scotia bank transfer, pre-approved cheques, PayPal or by cash.

The new relationship with Mailpac Local will see the operators of Virtual Mart executing end-to-end order fulfillment on behalf of Mailpac Local.

Khary Robinson, executive chairman of Mailpac, said in a company release on the deal, “The partnership will see the infrastructure and operating protocols of both brands coming together to make delivery of competitively priced groceries and PriceSmart orders more efficient and seamless.

“We have been observing the growth and operational excellence of Virtual Mart for some time. Accordingly, a few months ago, we initiated discussions about the value of bringing both platforms together.”

Robinson stated that the union was the result of “a strategic decision to merge our infrastructure with that of Virtual Mart to offer customers a more robust and efficient service. We are excited about the future of the combined businesses and trust that the Virtual Mart team will serve our customers well”.

Customers will continue to place orders online at www.mailpaclocal.com and will have access to an even wider variety of products from a bevy of grocery store suppliers, in addition to PriceSmart offerings, Robinson said.

According to Godfrey Salmon, founder and CEO of Virtual Mart, “We are very excited about the future of this partnership with Mailpac and see significant value in this partnership. Amalgamating the technology, logistics infrastructure and industry know-how of both companies creates the largest and most efficient online shopping platform for groceries and household items in Jamaica. With enhanced economies of scale, our combined customer base will benefit from more options, more efficiency, and the best service in the market.”

Robinson said that Mailpac Local customers “can expect the same high level of service from Virtual Mart that they would have previously received from Mailpac. This is as a result of the company’s ongoing commitment to providing a seamless, personalised shopping experience.

“While there may be some minor changes to things like the delivery schedule, customers can expect continued great pricing and Virtual Mart’s commitment to quality service,” he added.