Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 2:34 CH 1. Digitizing food retail 5:35 CH 2. The risk and reward from robots 8:30 CH 3. What’s next?
The American consumer is starting to pull back on spending and rising food and labor costs are causing the food industry to invest more into automation to lower labor costs and improve sales, in order to stay competitive and take advantage of shifting consumer taste.
Speedy grocery delivery is booming, but competition and high running costs could hinder growth. Startups are promising to deliver groceries to your doorstep in minutes, stepping up competition in the industry. Their strategy: to operate out of “dark stores.” WSJ visits some of these hyperlocal warehouses to see how they operate and the challenges they face. Photo/Video: Michelle Inez Simon
7-Eleven, home of the 64-ounce Double Gulp and the Pina Colada Slurpee, has helped revolutionize the way we shop at convenience stores. In March 2019, the 90-year-old brand launched its first Evolution Store. Featuring fresh food options and specialty alcohol, the new store concept is aimed at a new generation of consumers. And with consumer behavior changing due to Covid-19, the convenience store industry could be on the verge of a profound change.
Will the coronavirus pandemic lead to long-term changes in how we shop for food? To better understand the challenges facing grocery stores, WSJ’s Alexander Hotz spoke with an industry insider, a store owner and a Walmart executive.
Food and medicine shopping is essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, but requires getting out and standing close to strangers at a time when social distancing and sheltering-in-place are recommended to slow spread of disease.
David Aronoff, MD, director of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, explains how to minimize COVID-19 risk while shopping.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEzhJc6uVFs
From and Albertson Companies online news release:
“The micro-fulfillment center model is a key element in the store of the future,” said Vivek Sankaran, Albertsons Companies President and Chief Executive Officer. “It combines the efficiency of automation with the ease of meeting customers when and how they want to shop. In working with Takeoff, we can evolve how the MFC ties into our store and e-commerce ecosystems and accelerate our path to best serve our customers.”
December 12, 2019 – Albertsons Companies and Takeoff Technologies are teaming up to collaborate on the future of grocery micro-fulfillment centers (MFC). The two companies have decided to form a strategic partnership with dedicated teams to collaborate on the evolution of the microfulfillment capabilities to drive the future of e-commerce order fulfillment.
Albertsons Cos., which operates stores in 8 out of 10 of the largest MSA’s in the United States, has also agreed to purchase additional MFCs from Takeoff and is evaluating market expansion opportunities. Albertsons Cos. and Takeoff worked closely together on the successful implementation of the company’s first MFC in South San Francisco in October 2019.
To read more: https://www.albertsonscompanies.com/newsroom/12-12-19-albertsons-companies-takeoff-develop-strategic-partnership.html
From a Grocery Dive online review:
Shoppers have to use a debit card at the door to gain entry to the store. Then they can shop for products and just walk out. Upon exit, customers can verify their purchases against the receipt. No cash is accepted.
“This speaks to the original design thinking behind NanoStore: to make a plug-and-play modular store so it can be easily placed and moved where people need it the most,”
Albert Heijn first unveiled the fully digital store under its AH To Go name in September at its headquarters in Zaandam in the Netherlands, where it was open only to employees. The move to Schiphol Airport gives the company an opportunity to pilot the technology with consumers in a highly trafficked area.
To read more: https://www.grocerydive.com/news/ahold-delhaizes-nanostore-heads-to-the-airport/568170/
From a RestaurantDive.com online review:
“We do inherently cross over multiple verticals so we compete for share against other fast casuals in Denver,” he said.
This trend could spell big trouble for restaurants that are incrementally increasing sales through delivery and reaching more customers through the channel than they would have traditionally.
“If restaurants aren’t paying attention to this they should probably start now because grocers are in a position to do some serious business [in delivery],” Frank Beard, GasBuddy analyst, told Restaurant Dive.
Grocery stores are trying to draw customers back to their business as Americans trend toward eating out rather than cooking at home. One tactic is grab-and-go meal replacements, Gray Taylor, executive director of Conexxus, a tech nonprofit that focuses on the convenience store and petroleum market, told Restaurant Dive.
To read more: https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/delivery-from-aisle-5-how-grocers-are-threatening-restaurants-off-premise/567459/
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