In the light of the coronavirus epidemic, expat families have taken drastic measures to keep their families safe. Communities all over Beijing have asked for temperature checks and registration, and some have closed off their compound to all non-residents.
But staying in only solves part of the problem. What about food? We’ve been on self-imposed quarantine for days now. Food supply is bound to start running low. For those who are adamant about avoiding supermarkets, what’s one to do?
One thing this city has in abundance is the ability to have anything delivered to your door at any time and the apps to make all of it possible. Even with the fear sparked by the coronavirus, it is still possible to get your groceries and takeaway meals delivered in a timely fashion. But how are you assured to get your groceries in 30 minutes or less? If you are still swearing by your Meituan, Eleme and Duodian apps, then you have clearly never heard of 每日优鲜 (Mei Ri You Xian).
Mei Ri You Xian has physical stores that serve as storage locations all around Beijing. Unlike delivery apps, they skip the step of going to the supermarket and the order is sent directly to the closest Mei Ri You Xian location, packaged, and delivered straight to you through one of their own delivery guys. Their company motto is fresh quality product delivered within one hour.
Advantages of the app:
1. It has an interactive interface.
2. The homepage has multiple options so you don’t need to navigate multiple pages to find what you might be looking for.
3. You are able to access different supermarkets’ products purely by category and not by supermarket or store name.
4. The homepage also displays all the products on offer per day so you are able to shop at a discount.
5. The app automatically updates your location, which means you don’t have to labor over keying in your Chinese address.
The only drawback I might mention is that the app is only in Chinese, and for those who aren’t entirely comfortable reading or typing in Chinese, it might be a bit of a nuisance.
How it works:
From top to bottom, you have your location finder on the top left corner marked as 送至 (SongZhi). Below that is your main search bar, and under that is your first stack of categories of what is on offer. The pictures are a helpful guide, so don’t worry too much if you don’t read Chinese. Under this is the all-important special offer stack, with numerous options each day, ranging from fruit to meat to alcoholic beverages.
• As you might imagine, much like any other app downloaded in mainland China, you will not only need to update your address, but you might need to link it to an e-money payment platform such as WeChat or Alipay, or your banking app if you have one installed on your phone, which you will find at the bottom right-hand corner marked 我的（).
• Once you have set up both your address and payment system, you may now choose to browse what is on offer according to category, or you might choose the second option on the bottom toolbar labeled 分类 (, “category”) for a more detailed shopping list.
• The app does not classify its products by stores and brands but according to proximity. Once you have selected what you might want to buy and added them to your cart, you can proceed to the checkout counter, pay, and await delivery.
Disclaimer: Usually, Mei Re You Xian delivers your groceries in around just 30 minutes, but with their reduced staff during Chinese New Year and the coronavirus outbreak reducing their team members even more, expect a longer delivery time. Also, depending on you where you’re located in Beijing, the delivery time may vary.
To download Mei Re You Xian, scan their QR code below:
Photos: Mark Karanja, fcn.technode.com, shanghai-zhaopin.com, www.libuqing.com, www.iyiou.com
