“We have created technology that allows shoppers to buy from multiple merchants in their area with one simple cart,” said Mercato founder and CEO Bobby Brannigan.
“In working with the farmers and public markets, we consolidate all vendors in that market under one umbrella. Consumers receive the same high quality as if they handpicked items at the market themselves and it’s all delivered to their door within an hour.”
When Brannigan started Mercato in New York City, he noticed a clear gap in online grocery delivery.
“Nobody has made it easy for the independent grocer,” Brannigan previously told FoodNavigator-USA in 2017 when the company had around 180 merchants and 20,000 unique customers. Now the company is operating in major cities including New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington D.C.
“I saw that there was nobody out there providing software to make it easy for grocery stores to get online. There were companies with their own warehouses that have their own trucks, and their own people driving trucks or stocking inventory like FreshDirect and Amazon Fresh or PeaPod.”
To order from Mercato, shoppers enter their zip code to shop local grocers and stores, discover new products, and browse thousands of food items in every category online. Customers can also communicate with merchants directly and rate their experience.
The new shops (all located in The Original Farmers Market in Los Angeles) available through Mercato include:
● Dragunara Spice Bazaar – Organic spice and herb shop
● Farmers Market Poultry – Poultry shop
● Huntington Meats – Butcher shop
● Magee’s House of Nuts – Nut shop
● Magee's Kitchen – Prepared specialty food shop and deli
● Marconda's Meats – Butcher shop
● Marconda's Puritan Poultry – Poultry shop
● Michelina Artisan Boulanger – French artisan bakery
● Monsieur Marcel Gourmet Market – Gourmet cheese, wine and European groceries
● Monsieur Marcel Seafood Market – Seafood shop
● T & Y Bakery – Russian-inspired bakery