The supermarket giant Coles has teamed up with Uber Eats to test-launch meal delivery services across Australia

Uber Eats, an American online food delivery platform, and Australian supermarket chain Coles, have reportedly signed a partnership agreement for meal delivery to customers. Under the partnership deal, Coles Pagewood will be able to deliver meals through the Uber Eats mobile application, as part of a pilot program in Sydney.

The latest move comes aimed the rising customer demand for cheaper and more convenient alternatives for ordering meals from any restaurant. Under the test, Coles team is expected to pick orders from the customers and hand them to Uber Eats’ drivers who will deliver the meals for a $5 fee.

Sources with knowledge of the matter revealed that the menu will include different ready-to-eat meals such as roast chickens, bakery items, deli salads, and frozen desserts, along with ready-to heat options such as pies and pizzas. Grab-and-Go options and drinks will also be available, added sources.

Jodie Auster, Uber Eats’ Regional GM, New Zealand & Australia, was quoted saying that the food delivery company’s strategic priorities are making food delivery easier and more affordable for everyday meals. The trial is likely to complement the current online offerings by Coles as it delivers meals in less than 30 minutes.

For the record, Coles had introduced a trial of Uber Rush in 2017, which implies a service delivering orders that are missing from the online grocery orders. However, the service never rolled out widely and was eventually closed in 2018.

If reports are to be believed, the current offerings from Pagewood store are available to customers ordering between 10 am and 8 pm. If the trial run turns out to be successful, the delivery service will be extended to other suburbs and cities. At present, Uber Eats has its services available in about 24 cities across New Zealand and Australia and holds partnership with over 16,000 restaurants.