As the number of orders triples, online store “Barbora” opens its first fleet in Latvia

Continuing its rapid development in the Latvian market, online store “Barbora” has announced the launch of its company-owned fleet, creating new jobs for several dozen couriers and significantly increasing its previous order-fulfilment capacity. The first “Barbora”-owned vans have already begun serving customers in Riga and its immediate surroundings this week, and it is planned that, as the number of orders grows, the volume of delivery vehicles will also be doubled during the year.

The launch of the new fleet will enable the company to fulfil considerably more orders every day than before, providing convenient courier delivery to customers’ homes on the same day. Given that the number of “Barbora” customers became four times larger last December, while the number of orders placed tripled compared with the same period in 2019, the company’s expansion is simply a logical step towards further development in the Latvian market. In addition, during the period of restricted in-person shopping at the end of the year, the number of “Barbora Express” orders in the regions also increased by more than half, where customers can collect their goods from 32 collection points in “Maxima” network stores.

“We have already invested more than 360,000 euros in creating the new “Barbora” fleet and acquiring delivery vehicles. However, as we continue to develop the fleet, these investments will be doubled over the coming year so that, as the number of orders continues to grow, we can offer our customers the fastest, most convenient and highest-quality delivery service possible. By taking this step, we are able to create new jobs in the current challenging circumstances, and we expect that this year, too, residents will increasingly want to make their everyday purchases online. Therefore, over the past year we have devoted all our efforts to improving “Barbora’s” existing capacity, and we are pleased that our customers in Latvia have appreciated this,” comments Sanita Bērziņa, head of online store “Barbora.lv”.

In addition to faster order fulfilment, online store “Barbora” is currently paying particular attention to expanding its product range, regularly offering customers new product categories. Alongside the familiar food products and their various alternatives in the organic and natural products segment, Barbora.lv now also offers cosmetics, hygiene products and household cleaning supplies, as well as children’s sledges, which cannot be purchased in person until the current Covid-19 restrictions are eased and which are particularly relevant to residents at present. Among the most popular products of the past year, which “Barbora” customers purchased most frequently on a daily basis, were fruit, vegetables, fresh food—meat and dairy products—as well as children’s and household goods.