In the heart of Polanco, behind a discreet, signless facade, something happens that doesn’t resemble a supermarket, although, in essence, it is. There are no shopping carts, no cash registers, and no customers strolling through aisles; there is silence, concentration, and a precise choreography that begins with a sound : the sound of an order being placed on a cell phone.

There, in that dark store , begins the story of an alliance between Selecto Chedraui and Rappi Turbo that seeks to redefine how Mexicans shop.

What happens inside is designed to remain hidden. It’s part of a model that, as its name suggests, operates in the shadows of traditional retail .

But what is revealed upon entering is anything but opaque: compact shelves, routes calculated down to the millimeter, and a logistics system that responds not to display, but to speed .

The model has a physical base, but its logistics are entirely digital. These dark stores function as logistics hubs where inventory, data analytics, and last-mile delivery converge.

In other words, the store ceases to be a point of sale and becomes a cog in a network that responds in real time to demand.

There are more than 80 stores of this type planned in eight cities across the country: Mexico City, Querétaro, Puebla, Monterrey, Guadalajara, Saltillo, Mérida and Cancún ; with an investment of more than five million dollars (mdd) to strengthen technological and logistical infrastructure.

In each store, the selection can range from five thousand to seven thousand products, tailored to the specific micro-zone. Algorithms determine what sells best, at what time, and in which neighborhood. In this way, the supermarket becomes personalized without the user even noticing.

“We designed the assortment to sell, not to display,” summarized Dennys Espinoza, deputy director of Omnichannel at Chedraui.

The new promise of retail

For years, e-commerce has faced a dilemma: speed or price. Immediacy usually meant higher costs. This alliance seeks to break that trade-off .

“You can have a complete basket, at a competitive price, with the immediacy of Rappi,” Espinoza said.

The formula combines Chedraui’s more than 100 years of retail experience with Rappi Turbo’s technology and logistical capabilities . The result is a model that competes not only with traditional e-commerce , but also with convenience stores and, in some cases, with brick-and-mortar supermarkets.

And that is beginning to be reflected in consumer behavior.

“When you have this option, you no longer hesitate about going out or not. It starts to change the habit,” warned Andrés Palacio, director of Rappi Turbo for Mexico.

But behind the 10-minute promise lies a complex machine : artificial intelligence that predicts demand, systems that assign orders and routes in real time, temperature control to guarantee cold products, and a logistics network that is constantly adjusting.

Even the most everyday details are thought out: avocados at different stages of ripeness, already cold beer, or the development of a solution to deliver hot tortillas.

Everything happens in a space that isn’t in the city center, but on its strategic periphery. From there, the invisible store supplies entire neighborhoods.

The alliance between Rappi Turbo and Selecto Chedraui opened the doors of one of its dark stores to witness the active scene, which begins when an order comes in. Nayeli, who works as a picker, takes out her cell phone, follows the route indicated by the system, and in less than a minute, has a product ready.

The standard, the team explained, is around one minute and ten seconds. After that, the order is passed on to a delivery driver who is already on their way, because everything happens simultaneously here.

That is the heart of the alliance, an operation that promises to deliver a complete supermarket basket in less than 10 minutes, without sacrificing price or assortment.

“What we are building is the future of retail ,” Dennys Espinoza emphasized.

And it doesn’t present it as an incremental evolution , but as a change of logic: stop thinking about planned purchases and start attending to immediate, almost impulsive needs, but with the depth of a complete supermarket.

Because this isn’t just about “forgetting” items or last-minute purchases. The goal is more ambitious: to cover all consumption occasions throughout the day. From a missing breakfast, an unprepared avocado, a mid-afternoon craving, or even medication in the middle of the night.

Towards frictionless retail

The alliance, which has been in development for more than a year, comes at a key moment in an environment of high consumption and events such as the 2026 World Cup that will increase the demand for convenience.

The goal is to expand rapidly, cover more cities, and continue pushing a model that, for now, hasn’t reached its peak.  “We continue to grow every day,” the team acknowledged.

Comment and follow us on LinkedIn: @Jennifer Galindo / @GrupoT21

El cargo The invisible supermarket: Rappi and Chedraui’s bet on 10-minute deliveries apareció primero en T21.

In an environment marked by medication shortages in public health centers and the pressure faced by millions of Mexican families with chronic treatments, a digitally native startup seeks to redefine access to healthcare. It’s Prixz , the online pharmacy that claims to be the fastest-growing in Mexico and now, with its 2.0 strategy, seeks to establish itself not only as a sales channel but also as a comprehensive healthcare services platform.

“In Mexico, to fill a prescription, a patient must visit an average of 3.8 pharmacies. What we’re looking for is for patients to be able to fill their entire treatment plan in one place without having to travel,” explained Sergio Pérez, co-founder and director of Prixz, at a press conference while presenting the company’s new phase.

The numbers back up this ambition: more than 500,000 annual orders, a catalog of more than 15,000 products —compared to the average of 2,500 to 3,000 items sold in a traditional pharmacy—and product delivery coverage of 98.7% of the country. With this infrastructure, the company claims to be able to reach even communities where the nearest pharmacy is more than 200 kilometers away.

The logistics strategy is at the heart of the model. Prixz operates 15 distribution centers in key cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara, Mérida, Monterrey, Veracruz, and Tijuana , with plans to reach 20 this year and more than 52 by 2028. Its operation combines a dark store model , motorcyclists (delivery drivers), and its own vans, in addition to agreements with couriers (courier and parcel companies) specialized in cold chain management and controlled medications. “All delivery personnel are specialized in healthcare, because we can’t mix an antibiotic with a cake. That sets us apart,” emphasized Adriana Contreras, Director of Operations.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is another key driver of differentiation. According to Pérez, the technology is already being applied in three areas: automatic interpretation of prescriptions using photos—with 98.9% accuracy; recommendations of related products to support treatments; and optimization of delivery routes to reduce delivery times and environmental footprint. “Our goal is for patients to be able to purchase in one click, without barriers and with complete confidence,” he stated.

But Prixz doesn’t define itself solely as a technology company. “Although we are an artificial intelligence company, we always have the support of people specialized in medical matters: chemists, nurses, and pharmacy graduates. They ensure that prescriptions match and support patients throughout each process,” Contreras pointed out.

This mixed model, which combines automation with human intervention, aims to serve a diverse market. Contrary to what one might think, the audience is not limited to young digital users: more than 10% of its patients are over 60 years old . For all of them, the promise is the same: fast and secure access to medications that are often in short supply through traditional channels.

The supply chain is key in this regard. Executives claim to maintain direct communication with laboratories and distributors to anticipate stock shortages , which has allowed them to overcome shortages that have affected the market. “Collaborative work within the supply chain allows us to offer what no one else has and prevent patients from interrupting their chronic treatment,” Pérez emphasized.

In the competitive arena, Prixz recognizes the presence of large traditional chains, but is confident that the growth of e-commerce in the healthcare sector, which will increase from the current 8% to between 24 and 25% by 2028 , will give it room to consolidate. The company plans to maintain 1000% growth every three years, supported by digitalization and its national coverage.

The advantages compared to traditional pharmacies are clear: lower operating costs thanks to the absence of counters , reinvestment of savings in discounts—it is estimated that between 50 and 60% of its chronic medications are cheaper than in any other chain—and a logistics model designed for scale.

At a time when the Mexican healthcare system is facing questions about its ability to guarantee medication for the entire population, Prixz’s proposal resonates strongly. More than a digital store, it presents itself as a digital health ecosystem that combines technology, logistical efficiency, and patient sensitivity . “We don’t see the peso symbol on each person; we see patients with needs, and we seek to make their lives easier,” Pérez summarized.

With an operation of 250 employees, almost complete coverage of postal codes, and an ambitious expansion plan , the digital pharmacy not only seeks to position itself as an alternative, but also as a new standard in medication distribution in Mexico.

Comment and follow us on X:  @EnriqueDuRio  /  @GrupoT21

El cargo Prixz 2.0, the digital pharmacy that focuses on logistics, AI, and patient proximity. apareció primero en T21.