MILKRUN has landed in Aotearoa New Zealand

Originally developed in 2021 by Danny Milham, MILKRUN pioneered the on-demand grocery delivery model in Australia, inspiring Woolworths to create Metro60 to compete. MILKRUN stood out among the competition, not only as an early adopter of the model but it uniquely employed its riders as staff on a casual, part-time, or full-time basis instead of relying on third party delivery drivers, as well as owning its own neighbourhood delivery hubs.

The company collapsed earlier this year as economic and capital market conditions deteriorated.

In May, Woolworths announced it had purchased the company and would be rebooting MILKRUN, rebranding Metro60 as MILKRUN powered by Metro with Uber drivers fulfilling orders.

Today, Woolworths New Zealand announced it would be launching MILKRUN as an app for Countdown supermarket goers across the Tasman with orders fulfilled from local Countdown supermarkets and delivered within 60 minutes.

“MILKRUN has proved incredibly popular for Woolworths customers in Australia, and we’re excited to share the ultra-convenient experience with our New Zealand shoppers,” says Mark Wolfenden, Director of Digital and Loyalty for Woolworths Group New Zealand.

“We know people are time poor and are looking for more quick and convenient ways to shop. MILKRUN makes last-minute entertaining, topping up the weekly shop or getting those final bits, or forgotten ingredients, for dinner easy.

“We’re particularly excited to be offering hot roast chickens for delivery for the first time to shoppers. It’s a well-loved meal solution and one of our most popular products.

“MILKRUN’s launch is a fantastic milestone as we continue our focus on delivering innovation that New Zealand customers are looking for as we change for the better to become Woolworths New Zealand,” says Mark.

This move comes days after the supermarket giant announced it would be rebranding all its Countdown stores in Aotearoa New Zealand to Woolworths branded stores in a $400 million brand revamp.

The MILKRUN app is available on both Apple and Android devices and currently services the central Wellington region and selected parts of central Auckland, with coverage expected to grow significantly in the coming months. Unlike the Australian iteration, loyalty features are not currently enabled but are in the pipeline with NZ set to roll out Everyday Rewards in coming months.

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