Cover photo: Mark Runnacles/PA Wire, Deliveroo rider Jake Yuill-Kirkwood in training at Glencoe - Original article: Caterlyst

Deliveroo trials ski, snowboard & skidoo deliveries in Scotland as the UK experiences the coldest winter in five years.

Deliveroo is an online food delivery company (similar to Uber Eats) Based in London, it operates in cities in the UK, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Australia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong.

Orders are placed through its website or app and then self-employed couriers transport orders from restaurants to customers. These self-employed couriers mostly use bicycles or motorcycles as transportation.

Danny Gooyer, Deliveroo courier on bicycle

As the UK experiences the coldest winter in five year in combination with their decent amounts of snow, comes also the struggle to deliver orders in time. Because of the harsh weather conditions, couriers have trouble getting to their destination using their preferred methods of transportation (which is often their only available option).

As a result, the delivery innovators have been training an elite squad of riders to ski, snowboard, and snowmobile orders to customers doors in preparation for further snow this year. Riders will avoid treacherous roads and any traffic, making deliveries up to twice as fast as regular deliveries.

Having trained at the summit of the Meall A'Bhuiridh mountain on the slopes of Glencoe in Scotland which is over 3000 feet high (1.108m). Each rider will be more than prepared to deliver throughout the snowy season.

A few restaurants in the UK have already signed up to the snow trial and they expect more to follow.

Mark Runnacles/PA Wire, Deliveroo riders training at Glencoe

The trial service, which will be ready for deployment from 22nd January will be available across the UK with snow riders operating in the worst hit areas of the country until the end of February.

Joe Groves, Head Of Consumer Comms (UK & Ireland) said: “The UK is traditionally terrible at coping with snow, as soon as it starts, schools shut, trains stop and the nation panics. We want to give our customers one less thing to worry about this winter.

We’re conscious that lots of our customers don’t live in cities and can be easily affected by extreme weather conditions. We want to make deliveries possible for those who wouldn’t have dreamed it was possible during extreme weather conditions.”

Mark Runnacles/PA Wire, Deliveroo rider on a skidoo

Although cross-country skis might have been a better choice for the job, I would love to see pictures of these bad boys and girls in action on the streets. I suggest that the couriers who work in the cities get an additional winch or bungee with their pair of twintips, to avoid hiking on every flat delivery spot. An additional shovel would also be appreciated.

So what are your opinions, nice innovation? Or a crazy example of marketing at it finest?