Relay Foods, the online grocery shopping service for sustainable and everyday foods, is growing. The company is adding two additional grocery pickup locations per week, and just added products from Baltimore-based
Infused Spreads and Union Kitchen–based
2 Armadillos Crispy Chickpeas. According to Relay Foods founder Arnie Katz, more items are coming soon.
"We're planning to add hundreds of new items in the next few weeks in the natural and organic space," Katz says. "The D.C. catalog is already vast and wide and it is only going to get better."
Relay Foods provides online grocery shopping service but distinguishes itself from competitors by offering local and sustainably sourced products alongside staples. Customers can choose to pick up their groceries from different locations around the D.C. metro area (pickup locations now include Middleburg, Va., Baltimore, Manassas and many points in between) or they can choose home delivery for a fee.
Their model, where buyers choose a pickup or delivery window at least a day in the future, differs from that of almost-on-demand newcomer
Instacart, though Katz says that Relay can deliver some orders within 11 hours.
Ultimately, Katz says he is happy that other online grocery services are coming to town. "We're very excited because it brings more awareness to the ecommerce space and gives more validation for our business model," he says.
"I'm glad people are using online grocery services. We are proud of our great assortment of products and that we can support the ecosystem of 'mom and pop' farms," he adds.
Relay currently operates fulfillment centers in Charlottesville, Richmond and the District, and Katz says the D.C. staff continues to grow. "The D.C. team grew ten-fold in the last ten months," he says. "Lots of those employees are from inside the District." And they're still
hiring.