Technology

Kroger is testing a smart cart in Cincinnati

Shoppers can skip the checkout line by using the KroGO branded carts to scan, weigh and pay for items. 

By Jeff Wells • Jan. 15, 2021

6 stages grocers can follow to level up in online fulfillment

As the pressure to make online orders profitable grows, companies need to determine where their e-commerce operations fall along a maturity curve that progresses from stores to dedicated facilities.

By Jeff Wells • Jan. 13, 2021

Inventory software company ADC acquiring ShopperKit

This is the second time in less than a week that a legacy retail technology company has announced it's buying an e-commerce provider.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Jan. 13, 2021

Walmart to test refrigerated boxes that store grocery orders outside homes

The internet-connected units, which can hold items at various temperatures, are the retailer's latest attempt to provide unattended delivery for customers.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 13, 2021

UNFI sets sights on halving food waste by 2025

The wholesaler has laid out its sustainability goals for the decade, including donating a quarter of a billion pounds of food.

By Rosie Bradbury • Jan. 12, 2021

Sponsored by Facebook

3 trends shaping the new grocery landscape and how brands can act on them

Meet grocery shoppers at every step of their shopping journey using Facebook.

NCR buys grocery e-commerce provider Freshop

The point-of-sale technology company is adding e-commerce to its suite of offerings as grocers build out their online shopping platforms.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Jan. 08, 2021

Albertsons is testing automated pickup kiosks

The new robotic service, which dispenses orders in less than a minute, is now operating at a Jewel-Osco store in Chicago and will soon roll out to a Safeway location in the San Francisco metro area.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Jan. 07, 2021

Instacart taps Goldman Sachs IPO specialist as CFO

Nick Giovanni is joining the fast-growing e-commerce company amid anticipation that it will go public in 2021.

By Sam Silverstein • Jan. 07, 2021

Deep Dive

8 trends that will shape the grocery industry in 2021

After one of the most tumultuous years in recent memories, experts say 2021 will be the year grocers move from reacting to strategically managing for long-term growth.

By Jeff Wells , Sam Silverstein , Catherine Douglas Moran • Jan. 04, 2021

Alert Innovation names veteran tech exec to head sales efforts

John Gargasz brings experience as an entrepreneur and angel investor to the micro-fulfillment technology developer.

By Sam Silverstein • Dec. 23, 2020

Smart checkout firm Trigo secures $60M in new funding

British supermarket chain Tesco, which is piloting the technology at one of its stores, continued as an investor in the Israeli startup.

By Jeff Wells • Dec. 21, 2020

Hy-Vee to boost local brands with virtual summits in 2021

The events will take place quarterly next year to bring offerings from local vendors into Hy-Vee stores and online. 

By Rosie Bradbury • Dec. 21, 2020

Opinion

Here's how grocers should ramp up digital deals and promotions

Embracing online coupons and offering discounts on e-commerce services can help grocers reach more low-income and price-sensitive shoppers, writes Nick Minnick of Chicory. 

By Nick Minnick • Dec. 17, 2020

Walmart to take middle-mile trucks driverless

Since the self-driving pilot with Gatik began last year, the multi-temperature vehicles have traveled more than 70,000 miles along a short supply route in Bentonville, Arkansas.

By Rosie Bradbury • Dec. 16, 2020

The Giant Company expands Flashfood partnership to 33 stores

The Flashfood app, which is free to download, showcases discounted produce, proteins and bakery products nearing their sell-by dates. 

By Rosie Bradbury • Dec. 11, 2020

Q&A

The startup that's automating supplier negotiations for Walmart

Martin Rand, CEO of Pactum, talks about how the AI-based platform is helping the retailer and other large companies revisit the many small-scale contracts that can go untended for years. 

By Jeff Wells • Dec. 08, 2020

How United Supermarkets more than doubled its picking speed during the pandemic

The grocer's workers have seen their picking rates increase to as much as 160 items per hour, according to retail software developer ThryveAI.

By Sam Silverstein • Dec. 08, 2020

WinCo to add produce replenishment software from Afresh across all stores

The partnership continues the artificial intelligence-powered platform's growth as grocers look to stop food waste from eating away at their margins.

By Rosie Bradbury • Dec. 04, 2020

Walmart gets an extra branding shot for its automated smoothie pilot

The first co-branded Jamba by Blendid kiosk debuted Wednesday in Dixon, California, furthering the retailer's foray into autonomous technology. 

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Dec. 03, 2020

Deep Dive

Is cashierless tech ready for prime time?

The pandemic has juiced demand for automated checkout systems, and retailers are having positive experiences with them, but the technology still has to prove itself over the long term.

By Sam Silverstein • Nov. 30, 2020

Kroger will use Ocado technology to boost pickup fulfillment

The grocer will collaborate with the tech firm to make picking and order assembly more efficient amid soaring demand for the service.

By Sam Silverstein , Jeff Wells • Nov. 24, 2020

B2B autonomous vehicle company Gatik signs on with Loblaw

Gatik, which raised $25 million in its latest funding round, will partner with the Canadian grocer on middle-mile delivery starting in January.

By Rosie Bradbury • Nov. 23, 2020

Canadian grocer lets shoppers browse and click virtual aisles

McEwan Fine Foods of Toronto has partnered with delivery company Inabuggy to build a 3D store model for online customers to peruse.

By Rosie Bradbury • Nov. 20, 2020

Column

Pardon the Disruption: Ahold Delhaize levels up in e-commerce

The FreshDirect deal deepens the grocer's East Coast penetration, but more importantly it provides another online resource and learning lab at a critical time.

By Jeff Wells • Nov. 20, 2020