March 14 (UPI) -- Walmart announced Wednesday plans to expand its grocery delivery service to more than 40 percent of U.S. households by the end of the year.
In a statement, Walmart said the delivery service -- available today in six markets -- will grow to serve more than 100 U.S. markets this year.
"We're saving customers time by leveraging new technology, and connecting all the parts of our business into a single seamless shopping experience: great stores, easy pickup, fast delivery, and apps and websites that are simple to use," Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran said.
"We're serving our customers in ways that no one else can. Using our size and scale, we're bringing the best of Walmart to customers across the country."
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The company said groceries -- including produce, meat, seafood and bakery items in a minimum order of $30 -- can be delivered for a $9.95 fee. Shoppers can place orders at Walmart.com or the Walmart Grocery app.
"Our commitment goes further than saving customers money," Tom Ward, vice president of digital operations, said.
"Ninety percent of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store, and we serve more than 150 million customers a week, which gives us a unique opportunity to make every day a little easier for busy families. Today, we're expanding this promise by helping even more customers save time and money without leaving their homes."
Walmart's grocery delivery service -- which may bring more competition to Amazon -- is the latest in new services announced by the chain.
In January, Walmart said it would soon offer eBooks and audiobooks in Japan -- and announced last fall, the company announced a new streamlined returns policy through its mobile app.
