Somabar, a Los Angeles, California-based startup, is hoping to make it easier and less expensive for foodservice establishments to offer cocktail programs. It’s launching what it says is the world’s first robot bartender created for beer and wine bars and restaurants, starting with its public launch at select Gelson’s Wine Bars. Somabar is operational at […]
Category: Online Grocery Technology
Grocery technology news: e-commerce, AI, checkout, data and the tools retailers use to run stores and reach shoppers.
See all our technology coverage in Grocery Tech & Retail Media.
Amazon Go Competitor ‘Skip’ Now Live In 60 Grocery Stores
Skip, a frictionless checkout provider that announced last October that it would beat Amazon Go in rolling out to 3,000 locations in 2019, is now available in 60 grocery stores. Another 23 are scheduled to go online by Feb. 6. Skip’s mobile checkout platform is scheduled to be in a total of 275 locations—9 percent […]
Nestlé Becomes Founding Partner Of Loop, Debuts Reusable Ice Cream Packaging
A coalition of the largest consumer product companies, along with international recycling company TerraCycle, today unveiled what they say is a global, first-of-its-kind, shopping system called Loop. The initiative was designed to change the world’s reliance on single-use packaging, offer a convenient and enhanced circular solution to consumers, while securing meaningful environmental benefits. Announced at […]
Kroger, JTG Daugherty Racing Team Up On New NASCAR Sponsorship Strategy
The Kroger Co. and JTG Daugherty Racing are debuting a new NASCAR sponsorship strategy that “focuses on shopper themes and will help participating brands communicate more effectively with consumers.” The goal of the new strategy is to significantly increase sales for sponsor brands and for Kroger. The No. 47 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series […]
Cash Is Here To Stay—How To Deal With Rising Handling Costs
by David Johnson/Director of Business Development, G4S Retail Solutions Retail and finance experts are fond of proclaiming that cash usage in retail and restaurants is “dying” or even “dead,” and many point to the growth of credit and debit cards, the emergence of mobile payments and an increase in conversations around restaurants, grocers and other […]
Mission Foods Chooses MobileFrame For Direct Store Delivery Technology
Mission Foods, one of the largest food manufacturers in the world, has chosen the Los Gatos, California-based MobileFrame platform to develop the apps used as part of its direct store delivery process. With more than 4,500 drivers who visit at least 30,000 retail stores every day in the United States, Mexico and Central America, Mission […]
Manomet Certifies 45 Northern California Whole Foods Market Stores
Plymouth, Massachusetts-based Manomet’s Grocery Stewardship Certification (GSC) program has certified 45 Whole Foods Market stores in Northern California. The GSC works with grocers to engage employees on operational sustainability strategies and to review store-level practices and equipment with an eye to increasing energy efficiency, boosting revenue and lowering costs. “Environmental stewardship is a core value […]
Gladson Acquires ItemMaster To Expand Its Product Database And Retailer Reach
Gladson, a Chicago-based portfolio company of The Jordan Co. and Wicks Capital Partners, has acquired ItemMaster, a product content management company also based in Chicago. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The addition of ItemMaster further expands Gladson’s ability to provide accurate product data to an expanded network of market participants through its […]
Kroger CEO Outlines Five Predictions For The Future Of Retail
The Kroger Co. Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen provided his outlook on the future of retail at NRF 2019 in New York City during a keynote presentation themed “Restocking the future: Kroger’s insatiable appetite to play and win the long game.” CNBC “Squawk on the Street” and “Closing Bell” anchor Sara Eisen moderated the 30-minute conversation on Sunday. Here are […]
Walmart To Open ‘High-Tech’ Consolidation Center In California
This July, a Walmart supply chain first is coming to Colton, California. A newly built, 340,000-s.f. consolidation center will be the first in Walmart’s supply chain to receive, sort and ship freight. The facility’s automated technology will enable three times more volume to flow throughout the center and will help Walmart deliver the right product […]
Kroger And OneView Commerce Partner On ‘Next-Gen’ POS Solution
OneView Commerce Inc., a subsidiary of OneView Group Ltd and an SaaS-based headless and serverless digital store platform, has reached an agreement with Kroger to develop what it says is a next-generation point-of-sale solution. Founded in 2011, OneView has worked with global retailers in more than 15 countries to transform traditional point of sale capabilities […]
StopLift’s New AI Can Detect Self-Checkout Theft, Prevent False Alerts
Retail chains can now receive real-time reporting on self-checkout theft and other scan avoidance—as well as prevent false alerts at the self-checkout—with StopLift Checkout Vision Systems’ SmartAssist artificial intelligence (AI) technology. SmartAssist AI prevents false alerts and interventions, immediately flags unscanned merchandise at the self-checkout, and alerts the attendant before the customer leaves the checkout, says StopLift. The […]
Walmart To Pilot Grocery Delivery With Autonomous Cargo Vans
Walmart this week revealed plans to test grocery delivery with self-driving cars through a pilot with Udelv to take place in Surprise, Arizona. The pilot will use customized cargo vans to deliver customers’ orders. Read the full announcement by Tom Ward, SVP of digital operations for Walmart U.S., below: “Over the last few years we’ve […]
Hussmann Acquires Assets of Exxeno LLC
Bridgeton, Missouri-based Hussmann Services Corp., a Panasonic company, has acquired certain assets of Exxeno LLC for an undisclosed amount. The assets acquired will provide cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) monitoring and analysis solutions to reduce the total cost of operating commercial refrigeration systems. Hussmann CEO Tim Figge said it is Hussmann’s goal to create value for the customer. This […]
Whole Foods Launches Online Product Catalog Tailored To Dietary Preferences
Whole Foods Market on Jan. 3 launched a digital product catalog at products.wholefoodsmarket.com that allows shoppers to find items by dietary preference and provides complete nutritional information and ingredient lists. According to a recent Whole Foods study, almost one third of frequent customers say they shop according to a specific dietary preference. Whole Foods says the […]
Kroger And Microsoft Introducing New Digital Solutions For The Retail Industry
The Kroger Co. and Microsoft Corp. are collaborating in an effort to “redefine the customer experience” using Kroger Technology products powered by Microsoft Azure, the retailer’s preferred cloud platform for Retail as a Service (RaaS). Through this partnership, Kroger will pilot a connected store experience and together with Microsoft, jointly market a commercial RaaS product […]
Balls Food Stores Honored By Pharmacists Association
Balls Food Stores has been honored with the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Foundation’s 2018 Pinnacle Award. It was presented during a ceremony at APhA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Pinnacle Award recognizes a pharmacy or health system that has made a significant contribution to the practice of pharmacy, including services that improve patient outcomes, increase […]
Welch’s Saves $1M With New Software Support Vendor
Concord, Massachusetts-based Welch’s, the processing and marketing subsidiary of the National Grape Cooperative, is using Rimini Street of Las Vegas, Nevada, to support its Oracle E-Business Suite (EBS) application and Oracle database software. Rimini Street is a global provider of enterprise software products and services and a third-party support provider for Oracle and SAP software products. By […]
Energybox Launches New Flexible Platform Software
Energybox, a digital company that specializes in IoT monitoring and data analytics technology based in Morristown, New Jersey, has released new software. The flexible platform tracks equipment and facilities across multiple locations in real-time. It focuses on improving efficiency for businesses with real-time equipment monitoring, increases efficiency by reducing day-to-day operational frictions and enables consistency […]
Yowie Chocolate Collectible Candy Benefits Wildlife
Yowie Chocolate Collectible Candy contains a surprise inside each chocolate that will benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society. Each Yowie chocolate is non-GMO, nut-free, gluten-free and will give children a 100 percent natural treat with a collectible, life-like animal toy inside that not only teaches the importance of saving endangered wildlife but contributes to animal conservation efforts. The chocolates are […]
