
First there were the robots delivering Co-op shopping orders in Greater Manchester, but now the UK’s first fully automated click and collect convenience store is coming. Known as in:Five, the store is opening its doors on the edge of Manchester city centre and will be powered completely by robots, with grocery orders are ready to collect in as little as five minutes.
Unlike regular click and collect services, in:Five, is driven completely by technology, with no humans behind the scenes. Orders are processed and picked by robot powered technology. No shelves, no checkouts, no hassle.
Located on Chapel Street in Salford, within Grainger’s build-to-rent development, The Filaments, the store will be open to the public from November 18. Customers (residents and public) simply place their orders via the in:Five app, then visit the in-store Collection Hub and collect their grocery orders from their designated locker.
Offering a new quick and convenient way to shop, in:Five will stock a range of everyday essentials including toiletries, washing essentials, over-the-counter medications and non-perishable cupboard staples, across a wide variety of nationwide brands such as Heinz, Gillette, Uncle Bens, McVitie’s, Persil, Lemsip and Garnier.
A range of new and exciting brands including Impossibrew®, Hip Pop Kombucha, Minor Figures and Karma Drinks will also be on offer, in addition to a selection of oriental products such as Korean Pepero and Japanese soft drinks in unique flavours such as melon, grape and peach.
in:Five will also stock on-demand gadgets for professionals on the move, including MacBook USB-C adapters and smart phone chargers. And for items which are age restricted, the in:Five app is connected to facial recognition software which confirms the customer’s identity pre-purchase.
Ricky Wong, Group Chief Executive Officer for in:Five and Group CEO / Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Technology Venture Company Limited Group said: “If Apple did a grocery store, it would probably look like this. We’re very proud to be opening the UK’s first completely automated store here in Manchester, as it’s such a vibrant, thriving city with plenty of young professionals and on the go consumers who will benefit from the click & collect service.
“Our team is locally Manchester based, made up of local engineers and marketers. We feel lucky to have the nimbleness and autonomy of a UK tech start-up that’s stacked with local talent, coupled with the support, wisdom and resources of Hong Kong’s largest online shopping mall.”
in:Five occupies one of six commercial spaces within residential development, The Filaments, alongside newly opened CrossFit gym, Rush 242, Inner West Coffee Shop, BLS International Services UK and Joule Bar, an independent craft beer bar and take-away bottle shop. The Filaments offers a mix of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments, in addition to plenty of amenities including an on-site Resident Services Team, resident’s lounge, co-working space, outdoor roof terrace and gym.
in:Five can be found at The Filaments, 209 Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5PF and will operate daily from 06:00 until 23:00 upon official launch on November 18.