Deliveroo announces partnership to scale robot deliveries across UK

Deliveroo and Coco Robotics, one of the largest pavement delivery fleets across the U.S. and Europe, are set to bring robot deliveries to towns and cities across the UK through a new strategic partnership. 

In the new exclusive partnership, the two companies are launching in multiple locations, beginning with Canary Wharf in London this October, before launching in Milton Keynes, Leeds, Stockton on Tees and Nottingham in the coming weeks and months. 

The launches have been welcomed by local authorities across the UK in a positive sign of support for the innovative new service and job creation the partnership will bring. Coco is also in discussions with other councils across both London and the UK.

Consumers will initially be able to order from the likes of Patty&Bun, independent family-run brands like bakery Signorelli and cafe and restaurant Beam, in Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf, before the service area expands to include a wider pool of merchants at a later stage, including Ole & Steen, Royal China and Din Tai Fung. In Milton Keynes, consumers will be able to order from Smoke and Pepper and 5 Akhis, amongst others when the service rolls out.

The multi-city rollout marks Coco’s entry into the UK, extending the company’s broader expansion across Europe. The launch will be backed by local investment in UK operational infrastructure, creating new skilled jobs in operations, maintenance and logistics across each region, supported by new depot and charging facilities. 

The partnership represents a significant milestone in Deliveroo’s autonomous delivery journey, marking its first use of autonomous delivery vehicles in the UK. The move reflects the company’s strategy to develop a multi-modal last-mile delivery approach by scaling new delivery methods for consumers and merchants. 

While the majority of orders will continue to be fulfilled by Deliveroo’s extensive rider network, Coco’s fully electric robots are suited to short-distances and navigating urban environments, offering additional flexibility to local businesses on Deliveroo’s platform to fulfill more orders. 

Built to travel safely and navigate busy urban environments, Coco’s robots operate at walking pace,  moving safely through busy city streets while carrying orders directly to customers. Each delivery is zero-emission and reduces urban congestion. 

Through its partnership with BlindSquare, Coco will also share real-time data on pavement hazards identified by its robots, so that the company can update its app to help alert blind and partially sighted pedestrians to obstacles ahead. 

Miki Kuusi, CEO at Deliveroo and Head of DoorDash International: “London is where Deliveroo was born, so it feels fitting that we’re launching our first UK autonomous delivery service with Coco Robotics here before expanding our exclusive partnership to more towns and cities nationwide, building on our partnership in other geographies. 

“We see huge potential in autonomous delivery and we are looking forward to working with Coco to bring more flexibility to our delivery network, helping local restaurants and shops meet increasing consumer demand. We firmly believe that robot and drone technology should benefit High Street businesses of all sizes, helping them remain competitive and meet consumers in new ways.” 

Zach Rash, CEO and co-founder of Coco Robotics: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Coco to the UK with Deliveroo as our launch partner. The interest here has been incredible, and we’re committed to building something that creates lasting value for local merchants and the communities they serve. As we expand further across the UK, we look forward to giving more businesses another reliable delivery option and more communities access to the kind of infrastructure that makes delivery work better for everyone.”

Ilkka Pirttimaa, founder, BlindSquare: “This isn’t theoretical anymore. We’re seeing firsthand how Coco’s real-time pavement data delivers tangible safety improvements for our users in every city where we operate together. Coco’s robots are essentially a real-time accessibility mapping network, feeding hazard data, discarded e-scooters, temporary construction, straight into BlindSquare’s self-voicing app, giving blind and partially sighted pedestrians the crucial seconds they need to navigate safely. London is historic, dynamic, and often challenging to navigate. Bringing this safety layer here is a major step forward, and it’s what autonomous technology should look like in a city. Coco’s robots don’t just share the pavement, they help make it more accessible for everyone.”

Jacinta Rowsell, managing director of operations at Canary Wharf Group: “It’s exciting to be the first UK launch for Coco and Deliveroo’s autonomous delivery partnership. Canary Wharf is built on an ambitious vision, one which supports and encourages growth and innovation, and our partnership with Coco is a great example of this.”

DoorDash and Wolt partner with Coco across multiple cities across the globe, including Los Angeles, San Jose, Chicago, Miami, Washington D.C. and Helsinki. Deliveroo, Wolt and DoorDash are also exploring different forms of autonomous vehicles across multiple geographies, and DoorDash continues to invest in autonomous delivery solutions. The companies have established partnerships with multiple leading aerial drone and ground-based robot operators, and DoorDash has developed its own in-house autonomous delivery robot, Dot, which is operating in Phoenix, Arizona.