ECRS has released updated third-party integration and application programming interface (API) guidance, a formal framework defining how retailers and solution providers can connect with its CATAPULT point-of-sale platform through standardized, reusable API endpoints. The documentation is designed to reduce technical friction for integrators while protecting the platform’s stability across high-volume retail environments. Why standardization matters […]
Category: Online Grocery Technology
AWG Rolls Out SmartMeals AI Shopping Assistant
Associated Wholesale Grocers‘ (AWG) SmartMeals, its artificial intelligence-powered meal planning and shopping assistant built in partnership with Breez AI Corporation, has moved from pilot to wide-scale deployment across its member network. Nearly 100 AWG member stores are now onboarded, with 85 stores going live in January and additional rollouts under way. The announcement comes as […]
Afresh Expands AI Platform To Cover Full Store
Afresh, a grocery artificial intelligence company that built its platform around fresh department complexity, has announced that its system now covers every department in the store, including center store, frozen, general merchandise, health and beauty and the full fresh perimeter. The expansion makes Afresh the only grocery AI platform capable of managing replenishment, demand forecasting, […]
Instacart, NVIDIA Build AI Platform to Unify In-Store, Online Grocery Retail
Instacart is building what it calls a “grocery world model” – a continuous learning artificial intelligence system that connects physical store data from its Caper Cart smart shopping carts with its online commerce platform in collaboration with NVIDIA. The initiative represents how it intends to use its scale across 2,200-plus retail banners and 100,000-plus locations […]
Fareway Launches Online Pickup Through Instacart Partnership
Fareway, the Iowa-based grocer with more than 140 Midwest stores, has partnered with Instacart to launch an updated e-commerce experience powered by Storefront Pro, its enterprise commerce platform. Fareway orders are available for pickup through the Instacart Marketplace with no markups and customers can shop at Shop.Fareway.com or through the Instacart app. The partnership gives […]
Birdzi Launches Natural Language BI Tool, AskKea
Birdzi has released AskKea, a generative business intelligence (BI) assistant that lets grocery retailers query their data using plain-English questions and receive decision-ready answers in minutes instead of days. AskKea is designed for non-analysts. Store managers and marketing teams can ask questions directly and receive clear answers, visual summaries, exportable data files, methodology explanations and […]
AI Experts Urge Retailers To Move Beyond Simple Automation
Artificial intelligence (AI) can help retailers unlock hidden revenue in underperforming inventory, improve customer targeting and streamline operations — but only if companies stop treating it as a time-saving shortcut and start using it as a strategic tool. That was the message from two digital commerce experts during a keynote at The Inspired Home Show […]
ECRS Names Rosner Chief Revenue Officer
ECRS, a Boone, North Carolina.-based retail technology company, has named Merrick Rosner chief revenue officer. Rosner brings more than a decade of executive experience in retail technology and previously served on the National Retailer Advisory Board of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA). In his new role, Rosner will oversee customer experience, sales operations and strategic […]
