Grocery Delivery Service

Tired of waiting in supermarket checkout lines or too busy to go to the market? Now there's a new option: www.beachgroceries.com.

The Miami Beach-based online grocery delivery service began operations in June. Its website features more than 15,000 products (up from 10,000 when the site first launched), including fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, cheeses, poultry, kosher and organic items, household cleaning supplies, health and beauty products, baby formula and pet food. Delivery is available to zip codes from the Brickell area north to Aventura.

Beachgroceries.com is a family-owned venture: its partners are Beach native Dov Lozenik, his father, Michael Lozenik and brother-in-law, Shmuli Klein.

Lozenik says beachgroceries.com has almost 1,000 customers and is already profitable. He says clients include residents, small boutiques and cafe restaurants, as well as young working people ordering for elderly parents. He says the business is a success (unlike the now-defunct Publix online service) because ``we're trying to be more local and specialize in customer service.''

To order, customers must set up an account. They get $10 off the first purchase. Grocery lists are built by browsing the store and adding groceries to a shopping cart. Then a delivery time is chosen.

Beachgroceries.com delivers weekdays via a refrigerated van from 8-11 a.m. and 5-8 p.m. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. the prior day. There's no charge for delivery on orders over $120, $10 if under. Fisher Island residents pay an extra $20. Blame the ferry.