Midnight Groceries: Kurly Takes Aim at Coupang’s Rocket Delivery (Image courtesy of Kurly)
SEOUL, Feb. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — Kurly, the retail technology company known for its early-morning grocery deliveries, is stepping up its rivalry with Coupang by introducing a same-day service that promises orders by midnight.
The company said Monday that it has launched “Midnight Dawn Delivery,” expanding beyond its signature dawn delivery service to establish a twice-daily shipping system. Customers who place orders between 11 p.m. and 3 p.m. will receive their items before midnight the same day, while those ordering between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. will receive deliveries by 7 a.m. the next morning — 8 a.m. in some regions.
The new service is available across most of the Seoul metropolitan area, including Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi Province. Deliveries begin at 9 p.m., with all products packed in refrigerated or frozen packaging designed to maintain freshness through the early hours.
Industry analysts say the move intensifies competition in South Korea’s fast-growing grocery delivery market, long dominated by Coupang’s Rocket Delivery and Rocket Fresh services, which have set consumer expectations for rapid fulfillment.
Market Kurly’s “Saetbyeol Delivery” vehicle (Photo courtesy of Market Kurly)
Kurly has until now focused on pre-7 a.m. deliveries. By adding a guaranteed midnight arrival option, the company is positioning itself to compete more directly in the “night delivery” segment, particularly in fresh food and grocery categories.
The service will also apply to Kurly N Mart, a grocery platform launched in partnership with Naver.
Lee Tae-hee, head of operations strategy at Kurly, said predictable delivery times — not just speed — are increasingly central to consumer choice. “Midnight Dawn Delivery will enhance flexibility in our logistics centers and strengthen our overall competitiveness,” he said.
As South Korea’s e-commerce players vie to compress delivery windows ever further, the battle for consumers’ dinner tables — and late-night cravings — appears set to grow even more intense.
