A NEW app that claims to be able to deliver more than 500 grocery items in under 28 minutes has launched in Southampton.

8DOL is already running successfully in China with more than million users and a turnover of over £90 million a year. The app dubbed "the cloud supermarket" is now become the world’s largest online student grocery delivery service.

Its founders say some people are put off conventional supermarket delivery because next day delivery is not fast enough.

supermarket services also tend to have a minimum spend of at least £25 and charge around £4.99 for delivery.

It has been bought to the UK by Alfie Porter, 21 and Craig Moore, 29, who started trading as 8DOL UK in Bournemouth in September.

Alfie said: “It’s great to be launching 8DOL in Southampton, there is currently no other business in Europe offering what we are in terms of affordability,delivery at £1, and time.

The pair are also looking at taking the service to 12 more cities, including Bristol, Plymouth, Oxford, Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Sheffield.

Customers can choose from over 500+ supermarket products to be delivered direct to their homes or office.

8DOL charges £1 per delivery with no minimum spend and 8DOL say the price of their goods is competitive with retailers.

Alfie discovered the app when he was based in China in 2017 and took a placement opportunity with 8DOL there.

He spent time with founder Gu Wen and his team and decided the model had potential in the UK.

He pitched the idea to directors of the Christchurch-based Solent Group and worked on an agreement to bring 8DOL to the UK.

Craig joined the business with the development of the app and will be head of operations, implementing its growth plans.

He said said: “The supermarket delivery sector is growing rapidly with many competitors attracting multi-million pound investments, following on from Deliveroo’s success in the restaurant/takeaway delivery sector.

“I was instantly drawn to this opportunity and unlike any of our other competitors we hold our own stock so we are price competitive with traditional retail stores. I can’t wait to see where we can take this business.”

The brand name stands for “eight days online”, with the figure eight representing “eight days a week” delivery and the Chinese lucky number.