Hy-Vee has begun a partnership with Deliverect, a global food tech SaaS company, to support the growth and expansion of the retailer’s digital food ordering.
By integrating Deliverect into each of Hy-Vee’s Fast and Fresh Market Grille Express stations for streamlined order and aggregated menu management, the grocer can deliver an improved customer experience, preparing orders quickly and efficiently. Hy-Vee also is leveraging Deliverect’s analytics to make more data-driven decisions on its menu offerings and inventory.
The convenience store sector is experiencing a significant transformation, capitalizing on the opportunity to capture a larger share of the food wallet in the United States. According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, the foodservice category – which includes prepared food, commissary and hot dispensed beverages – now accounts for 26.9 percent of in-store sales. As C-stores increasingly enter the food ordering space, delivery apps are becoming essential to meeting consumer demand.
“Convenience stores are at an exciting juncture as they begin to play alongside restaurants in the food delivery arena, and technology is necessary to make this shift successful,” said Noah Hayes, Americas VP at Deliverect.
“Deliverect’s suite of solutions are designed to enable foodservice businesses to streamline their operations and deliver a frictionless customer experience.”
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Hy-Vee began collaborating with Deliverect in January, piloting a custom integration across all of its stores. The project, from kickoff to completion, took three months. Hy-Vee’s Fast & Fresh app was developed to use Deliverect’s order and menu management. The app offers a seamless ordering experience – similar to popular platforms such as Uber Eats and DoorDash. Deliverect also built a custom curbside notification solution, increasing operational efficiency at each C-store location.
“As a brand with convenience at its core, it’s critical that we meet our busy consumers where they are,” said Jennifer Lambert, SVP of IT strategy and planning for Hy-Vee.
“Deliverect’s innovative solutions have dramatically increased the speed of our curbside pickup service while providing us with key insights to keep our operations running smoothly and our customers happy. We look forward to seeing how this collaboration continues to evolve in the future.”
