Pretty sure it's moves like these that will render most Uber valuation apologists' defenses of the valuation based on cab usage growth moot. If they could satisfy the valuation on cab fare middle-person, this would not be the experiment.

Also, something close to most peoples' logic spot would be that they are not delivering fresh produce. So, only a subset of the stuff that you find in the "middle aisles."

I'll paint in a really broad stroke, but the people willing to pay premiums for the luxury of grocery delivery buy more stuff around the outer edge of the store vs the aisles of processed carbs and food science.