Uber has announced the first important expansion of its grocery delivery service in the United States. The company is more than duplicating the number of service areas this week north of 400 cities and towns. Now serves several main markets through Uber and Uber Eats, including San Francisco, New York City and Washington DC.

The rapid expansion was partially fed by an association with Albertsons companies and its 1,200 grocery stores throughout the country. Albertsons has brands, such as Safeway, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Tom Thumb and Randalls. Uber also offers delivery of regional chains such as the southeast grocery store and the New York Apple Red Group. Uber Pass and Eats Pass Subscribers do not need to pay delivery fees on grocery orders of more than $ 30.

The grocery delivery became an important component of Uber’s businesses during the most difficult parts of the Covid-19 pandemic, because the number of walks that people were significantly falling. The company is also dealing with a shortage of drivers that led at higher prices for walks. Uberkened several delivery startups in the last two years to feed his growth in that sector, such as Cornershop, Postmates and Drizzly.