New Covid-19 Solutions: Viva Malls Subsidiary Launches Online Sales & Deliveries; ANDI ‘SuperVecino’ Links Grocers, Suppliers

The Viva Malls subsidiary of Medellin-based Grupo Exito announced May 7 the launch of “Viva Online” (see: https://www.exito.com/viva-online) so that quarantine-bound customers can order dozens of commercial products — and then either pick them up at designated, virus-free mall sites or else have them safely home-delivered.

“Viva Online will offer shopping experiences with more than 50 brands, as well as virtual entertainment activities for all tastes,” according to a press bulletin from Grupo Exito.

“With the new service, Viva will make life easier for its clients, bringing them the brands and preferred products to their homes under the most rigorous biosecurity measures.

“Additionally, we have brand implemented the ‘Buy and Collect’ model in 12 of our shopping centers in the country. Through this service, orders are delivered directly to the customer’s means of transport [cars] and to specific areas designated for this purpose,” according to the company.

“We transcend the physical spaces of the shopping malls and we enable a virtual space that mixes the shopping experience, with differential and exciting activities for our clients,” said Juan Lucas Vega Palacio, Grupo Exito real estate vice president.

“In addition, we put Viva online at the service of other brands of entrepreneurs and small companies that are not necessarily in the shopping centers and that do not have e-commerce platforms, which will allow them to become visible and offer their products directly to end customers,” he added.

With the “Domicilios Viva” home-delivery service, some 100 brands can now reach the customers’ place of residence, according to the company.

“People place their orders through the WhatsApp line 3052232795 and the products are delivered to the place of choice, with multiple payment alternatives,” according to Grupo Exito.

“This new service, which has a coverage of three kilometers around each shopping center, is already operating in Viva Envigado and Viva Palmas [both in the Envigado suburbs of Medellin] and soon it will be implemented in seven more shopping centers in the country including Viva Laureles in Medellín; Viva La Ceja in eastern Antioquia; San Pedro in Neiva, Viva Barranquilla, Viva Tunja, Viva Villavicencio and Viva Wajiira in Riohacha,” according to the company.

ANDI Connects 25,000 Grocery Stores to Online Supplies

On a related front, Colombia’s biggest national industrial/commercial trade association ANDI announced May 8 a new wholesale online order-and-delivery alliance with Grupo Meiko’s “SúperVecino” neighborhood grocery-supply network.

The SúperVecino network (see: https://supervecino.grupomeiko.co/) enables thousands of local neighborhood grocery stores to order online and then receive deliveries directly, thus avoiding making trips to crowded (and hence potentially infectious) grocery wholesale supply centers in Medellin and other large cities.

“This initiative aims to offer an alternative in such a way that shopkeepers avoid going to the supply centers, reducing the risks of contagion and being able to continue their businesses and guarantee the income of their families. At the same time, the model supports rural producers and supply centers with the purchase of their foods,” according to ANDI.

“Since the beginning of the restriction of economic activity, we have been working on various alternatives to give continuity to some productive and commercial activities, while avoiding health threats. In addition to this [grocery wholesale] model, we are working with other ANDI sectoral commercial chambers on the implementation of [online order-and-delivery] of other products,” added ANDI President Bruce MacMaster.

The new system “supports the entire supply chain from producers who find a new sales channel on the platforms, to shopkeepers who can order online, choose the supplier and sustain their businesses without putting themselves at risk,” ANDI added.