The system backing the smart self-service pick-up points was developed by teams who participated in local innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

A next-day, self-service pick-up grocery service developed locally in the city of Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, has been seeing a rapidly growing user base, especially in Hai'an, a county-level city in Nantong.

The service is available as a standalone WeChat mini program through which buyers can place orders for fresh farm produce. Products are ready for pick up the following day. There are designated pick-up points – nine in Hai'an and three in Nantong's urban area – for convenient access.

The Nantong and Hai'an agricultural and rural affairs bureaus and other related departments co-developed the platform, which is called Xun Wei Ben Di (寻味本地, meaning "seek flavors locally"). It was launched in 2020 amid the COVID-19 outbreak.

The platform offers more than 130 agricultural products from 103 farms.

Logistics service providers such as China Post guarantee the products arrive at stations in just half a day. This reduces the losses of agricultural products and saves on last-mile logistics by having consumers pick up their items themselves.

The project is being promoted across the province and has been listed as an e-commerce innovation project by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs.

Statistics show that from January to July, sales surpassed 7 million yuan ($1.08 million), and are expected to exceed 10 million by year's end.