21-year-old Malaika Barlow featured on local news for going above and beyond for hundreds of loyal customers

At Shipt, we are a people-centric retail tech company passionate about connecting people to reliable, high-quality delivery with a personal touch. Our customers are familiar with and rely on their shoppers to make sure they have what they need. During a time when we’re seeing increasing numbers of people reporting feelings of loneliness and isolation, shoppers often form friendships with their customers and bonds that go beyond just delivering groceries.

Recently, Minnesota’s top shopper with Shipt, Malaika, gave reporter Derek Rose from CBS News Minnesota (WCCO) an inside look at her experience shopping and the strong relationships she’s formed with her community in the process. At just 21 years old, Malaika set a record as the most preferred shopper on Shipt’s platform in Minnesota – with more than 600 Minnesotans selecting her as their favorite shopper! Malaika said that over the past three years, she has completed more than 20,000 orders!

But for Malaika, shopping with Shipt has been about more than perfecting her ability to quickly complete so many orders. During her three years as a shopper, she has formed long-lasting friendships with her customers including Josephine, who was featured in the TV segment alongside Malaika and considers her like family after relying on her for two years, a family that values her service so much they asked her to babysit their children, and another customer who has given her handmade gifts in appreciation.   

For many of our customers, online delivery is more than a convenience, it is a necessity. Josephine started using Shipt while she was recovering from an injury and couldn’t shop for her own groceries. It meant a lot to her that Malaika approached her orders so thoughtfully and with great care and the two quickly became friends. Today, Malaika provides Josephine with rides as needed and they regularly text. For Malaika, shopping with Shipt offers the flexibility to set her own schedule, choose the number of hours she wants to work in a week and the ability to generate multiple streams of income. 

We are proud of Malaika and all of the shoppers working with Shipt to provide outstanding service for their customers all over the country. Learn more about Malaika and watch her segment.