Skip shutters Express Lane, lays off staff

Skip is closing its Skip Express Lane delivery service.

Roles specific to the business will be cut, Skip confirmed to Canadian Grocer Friday (April 17).

Skip launched the operation in 2021 after running pilots in London, Ont. and Winnipeg. 

In 2021, Skip announced plans to open 38 Skip Express Lane fulfillment centres by mid-2022, promising to create around 1,000 jobs. 

The centres operated like ghost kitchens, where sales were made solely through an app. 

Skip Express Lanes were billed as offering 1,500 items, including baby products, personal care items and everyday essentials at grocery store prices, as well as exclusive products from Skip partners. 

“Skip Express Lane was more than just our first foray into grocery and retail; it was a bold step in our business that showed our ability to innovate, take risks, and deliver for our customers in new ways,” Paul Sudarsan, SVP Partnerships at Skip, said in a statement to Canadian Grocer. 

“Skip Express Lane will always be an important chapter in our story, and we’re incredibly proud of what our teams were able to build right here in Canada. These changes have resulted in the reduction of Skip Express Lane specific roles within the organization. While business decisions that impact people’s jobs are never simple or easy, we are committed to helping these impacted individuals in any way we can, and are incredibly grateful for the contributions they have made to the business.”

Skip’s retail network includes Loblaw, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pet Value, Dollarama and Shoppers Drug Mart.