GLL pivots to create home food delivery service in partnership with Brakes

Leisure trust GLL has partnered with foodservice company Brakes to offer a home delivery service to its members – and to create an alternative revenue stream during the lockdown.

Brakes normally supplies the 80 cafes situated within GLL-operated leisure facilities across the UK.

With the centres now closed, however – and supermarkets still struggling to meet the increase in demand for home deliveries generated by the COVID-19 lockdown – the two have launched a joint venture.

The service can be accessed via GLL’s ‘Better’ app and members using the app will be able to order from a range of 6,000 food products, including dairy, bread, desserts, drinks, store cupboard items, meat and poultry, fresh and frozen vegetables, ready meals and more.

There is a minimum order value of £75, deliveries are free and slots will be offered from Mondays to Fridays between 8am and 7pm.

According to Marco Coppola, GLL's group health and fitness manager, the service is an industry first – and shows how digital assets can be harnessed for a number of uses.

“Since the beginning of the crisis we've been doing what we can to engage our members by building the free content available on our Better App," he said.

“This is a totally new venture for us, but we have an established relationship with Brakes and – as a social enterprise – we are committed to helping the local communities whenever we can.

“We hope that the online delivery service will help some of those in need, who perhaps are self-isolating, shielding or unable to get to a local supermarket easily.”

Liz Terry, editor of HCM magazine, said: "This is a clever move from GLL. Operators have found their business model leaves them very exposed to the shutdown and we expect to see innovative operators pivoting their businesses to create new revenue streams that are less vulnerable to business interruption."