Recent college graduate starts grocery delivery company in South Jersey

MULLICA HILL, New Jersey (WPVI) -- So many people have found ways to be innovative during the coronavirus crisis. That's true of a young man from South Jersey.

He just graduated from college last week and already he's launched a grocery delivery service that's growing by the day.

Action News caught up with Ashton Bianchi while he was grocery shopping in Mullica Hill. He's on the job for his new business called Shop Smart South Jersey.

"So I started about a month ago and every week we've been growing and growing more and more and reaching more and more people," he said.

Ashton, who just turned 22, had his senior year at Manhattan College, where he played baseball, cut short because of COVID-19.

"I just went home, was still in shock, just laid in bed, was lazy. Did my online classes," he said

His roommate was delivering groceries in New York and Ashton though why not here? He advertises on social media and via word of mouth, does the shopping, pays for the groceries, and delivers across South Jersey.

"I pay for it upfront. And then I send them a picture of the receipt plus our fee," he said. "So we've probably reached around 60 households now and I would say most of our customers have been reoccurring, which has been great. They like our service. They like the same or next day delivery."

"I have a lot of people who reach out and say, 'Hey, my parents can't get to the store. They haven't been to the store in weeks or months. Can you please shop for them?'," he added. "As negative as this time has been for a lot of people, it's also shown a lot of opportunity for people like me or people who want to start a business to help those in need."

You'll find the fee on his Instagram and Facebook pages.

He is now hiring more drivers and launching a website where he can take payments online. He's slated to start his Masters in quantitative finance at Rutgers in the Fall, which he hopes to do while growing the company.