June 27, 2021 | GroceryGeniuses Blog

Robomart rolls out a fleet of portable mini-marts in California

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Robomart, a store-hailing startup, is about to launch its first fleet of mobile mini-marts in West Hollywood, California. The store fleet has two categories initially: pharmacy robomarts and snacks robomarts. The mobile pharmacy will sell condoms, OTC medicines and toiletries, and the Snack Robomart will sell candies, chips and drinks. Robomart is soon working on launching grocery Robomart to sell fruits, vegetables, deli and bakery items.

Japanese food giant launches Amino Acid app dishing out health recommendations

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Ajinomoto, a Japanese food giant, has developed a health and diet app Aminostep that offers personalized health and lifestyle tips based on the results of a customer’s amino acid blood test results saved in the app. Aminosteps has quizzes and questionnaires to gain knowledge. It connects consumers with doctors via webchat. The app also encourages its users to walk, and rewards with amino miles that customers can redeem as Amazon vouchers while shopping.

Amazon outspends major rivals on delivery infrastructure, Walmart and Target staying on top

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Amazon has spent billions of dollars to get within a 1-hour distance of customers. The e-commerce giant has created a web of fulfilment centres, locker hubs, and stores to offer quick delivery. But Walmart and Target are still ahead due to their brick and mortar stores found in the proximities. Amazon stores are within 60 minutes of 77% of the U.S. population. Whereas Walmart and Target stores are at an hour distance from 99% and 94% of the population, respectively.

Five ingredients of the “secret success sauce” from Sam’s Club CEO Kath Mclay

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Kath Mclay, CEO of Walmart-owned $64 billion retailer Sam’s Club, has been doing a lot to make the retailer successful. Mclay shared five strategies to grow the retailer’s membership and those include: Competitive pricing with superior product quality and a flexible omnichannel shopping experience, Using the members’ data to predict consumer trends and value proposition, Balancing human resources and automation, Negotiation with suppliers to save costs and lastly, Automation, AI and machine learning to innovate the retailer.

Uber announces to acquire remainder of Chile-based grocery delivery firm Cornershop to become sole owner

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Uber, a ride-hailing and grocery delivery app, has acquired the remainder 47% of Cornershop, a Chile-based grocery delivery firm, in an all-stock transaction. This move reflects Uber is diverting from the limping ride-hailing business to diversify its grocery delivery services. Cornershop has grocery-specific handling and back-end technology resources to help Uber thrive in picking and delivering grocery orders. Uber has an existing user base and financial hefts as the key strengths to excel as a grocery delivery firm.

Walmart reveals how it offers automated alternative products recommendations

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Walmart extended AI to fulfil the pandemic-led huge online orders last year. Srini Venkatesan, EVP, Walmart Global Tech, revealed how the technology offers the best substitutes for out-of-stock products. Walmart deployed deep machine learning with plenty of variables such as size, type, price, shopper data, preference, current inventory, etc. These variables help the customers receive the best-suited alternative recommendations both online and in-store.

Carrefour rolls out a new retail media and shopper data app

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

Carrefour, a French supermarket chain, has just launched a new app with personalized shopper data and a media platform. The retailer developed this app so the customers enjoy a relevant shopping experience in-store and online. The app will also enhance the retailer’s overall performance and let suppliers align their offerings with customers demand. Carrefour will roll out the app internationally. Brands and customers can benefit from this app alike.

Morrisons rejects a 5.5 billion pounds private equity bid

GroceryGeniuses June 27, 2021

American private equity firm Clayton Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) recently tried to buy British grocer Morrisons. CD&R offered a preliminary private equity bid worth 5.5 billion pounds to takeover Morrisons, though the supermarket chain valued at 4.3 billion pounds on the stock exchange last week. The reason proposed by Morrisons for rejecting the bid is the undervaluation of the retailer’s total worth and its future growth prospects. Analysts predict that CD&R might come back with a higher bid soon.