NZ Post could deliver your next meal

Kiwi posties are delivering more than just mail - they're partnering with Menulog to deliver meals.

The online food and beverage ordering platform is trialling a pilot programme with 50 restaurants in Auckland's CBD.

A significant number of the company's 800 restaurant partners already offer delivery, but Menulog NZ commercial manager Paul Dodds said New Zealand Post would provide delivery options for the remaining outlets.

"There's a whole array of restaurants out there that don't do their own delivery so that's where we'll fill that gap," Dodds said.

"NZ Post is nationwide and we are too so it's been a good fit."

New Zealand Post began food deliveries last month, partnering with KFC in Tauranga to deliver the fast-food to locals.

The national postal service has continued to put up postal pricing in recent years, citing a decline in mail and parcel deliveries.

The innovative move into food delivery is one which will see the company branch out from its traditional revenue streams.

Dodds said if the trial went well, the delivery scheme would be rolled out across the country in the coming months, with deliveries likely to increase in Winter.

"We have maybe 20 [NZ Post] drivers just in Auckland CBD," Dodds said.

"As we scale up we'll probably just keep growing especially over the coming months when it's going to get busier as it gets colder and wetter, and people don't want to leave the house."

The scale and availability of delivery would depend on the distance and type of food being ordered Dodds said, with the current pilot limited to within four km of the restaurant to ensure high food quality.

Different types of food also travelled better than others he said, which would also be taken into account.

Menulog NZ commercial manager Paul Dodds. Photo / Supplied

When asked about competitor Uber Eats, Dodds said the arrival could only be good news for the industry.

"I'm quite excited about it to be honest," he said.

"We've been in the market for coming on seven years and it just shows that the online food and delivery world is mature enough and exciting enough for another company like Uber Eats to come into the market - it's definitely helping rather than hindering our success so far."

Menulog currently has around 300,000 active users and is in all major cities and towns across the country.