Case Study

Hy-Vee Grocery Curbside Pickup Kiosk

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A Major Grocery Store Chain Adapts to Curbside Pickup Demands

Hy-Vee, a large supermarket chain in the Midwestern United States, adapted to new challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The traditional shopping experience quickly changed due to store capacity limits, social distancing practices, and overall reluctance for customers to shop in person. Many customers turned to Hy-Vee’s Aisles Online curbside pickup and delivery options. Hy-Vee needed to upgrade its curbside grocery store experience to accommodate the influx of pickup orders – so they turned to an existing Falcon floor plan to quickly roll out containers.

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Key Challenges

Key Challenges: How to Improve the Customer Experience and Boost Efficiency

During the COVID-19 pandemic, ecommerce business saw a significant increase, and online grocery store shopping was no exception. Hy-Vee’s stores were not designed to accommodate such a rapid increase in pick up or delivery, and they needed more adequate storage to prepare for online shoppers.

To improve efficiency, Hy-Vee wanted to be able to prepare online orders a couple of hours before the designated pickup or delivery time. Similarly, they wanted to streamline the pickup process by creating a hub away from the store entrance so customers could quickly and easily access their pickup orders.

The Solution: Smooth Site Set-up and A Double-Wide Container Structure

“We experienced flawless execution working with Falcon Structures. Our stores were thrilled to receive these container kiosks. The Falcon units were easy to install, helping us quickly meet new demand.”
Hy-Vee, Inc.

Working with Falcon Structures, Hy-Vee received a fleet of 40-foot, double-wide shipping containers that were placed in the parking lots of various stores throughout its eight-state region. The units were modified by Falcon to include wall insulation, air conditioning, personnel doors, and lighting. The kiosk set-up crew found the Falcon unit installation to be simple and quick due to time-saving modifications such as simple electrical connections and easy-to-install ridge-caps, which connect the roofs of the two containers. The simplicity of the installation helped eliminate anticipated labor costs for Hy-Vee – getting the units online more easily than expected.

Ultimately, the curbside pickup experience drastically improved once the container structures were in use. Eight drive-up lanes directly across from the kiosk increased efficiency and the units continue to alleviate parking lot traffic. Each store location was thrilled to receive the container structure because it equipped each store to handle the increased pickup volume, and in some locations, it replaced a rental unit – creating a more professional brand experience. Hy-Vee feels confident that as future challenges arise, its e-commerce capacity will continue to operate smoothly.

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The Solution

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Key Features Include

  • Two 40-foot containers joined together
  • Two personnel doors
  • Operable cargo doors
  • Climate control
  • Lighting
  • Dry wall
  • Epoxy coated plywood flooring