March 4, 2022 | GroceryGeniuses Blog

Walmart will add fulfilment centres to stores to augment its digital supply chain model

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

Last year, Walmart grew the volume of its online orders from its retail outlets by 170%. As a result, the retailer has been remodelling and supporting its digital supply chain and adding more compacted tech fulfilment centres in its retail stores. According to its online post, Walmart will tap machine learning to speed up digital orders through a newly-built automated platform. With its latest warehouse-like fulfilment centres in stores, the grocer can track consumer demand, manage a transparent inventory, and replenish it in a shorter term. These compressed market fulfilment centres can store numerous grocery items with fresh produce. The firm will have tech robots fulfilling the orders and will also pilot autonomous delivery via Gatik’s drones and robots. To read more, visit ProgressiveGrocer

Coles becomes the first major Australian grocer to offer drone delivery

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

Coles, an Australian major grocery supermarket chain, has partnered with Wing, a subsidiary of Google’s parent firm, to offer drone delivery in Canberra. Coles shoppers can place orders from a range of 250 grocery items without a minimum order fee. To get drone delivery, consumers will have to place an order via Wing’s app, and the drones will deliver the package by lowering it to the ground. Wing is one of the most successful delivery firms and has delivered about 100,000 deliveries in the country in 2021 in Australia. The grocer will roll out Click&Collect Rapid, a 90-minute pickup service operating from 400 outlets in the nation. To read more, visit ProgressiveGrocer

No more empty shelves with Pod Foods’ data-driven discovery engine for grocers

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

Pod Foods is launching a data-driven discovery engine to create a digital “infinite shelf” for grocery retailers. This tech program will ensure grocers have a smooth domestic supply chain model and never run out of grocery essentials. Pod Foods will connect all the retailers regardless of their location to its diverse warehouse of partner brands. The digital warehouse platform will grow and manage grocers’ inventory based on consumer demand. This platform will solve all the supply chain woes of grocers and will be a great advantage to boost their business amidst all threats. The Pod Bytes data platform collects data from the B2B marketplace, grocery and third-party resources, and economic shifts. To read more, visit ProgressiveGrocer

GoPuff instant needs delivery platform launches operations in France

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

After a successful venture in the UK, GoPuff is stretching its presence in the European country, France. The instant needs platform is ready to serve French consumers and will cover the areas of Paris, most of Île-de-France and parts of the Marseille, Lille, and Toulouse regions initially. GoPuff will focus on delivering localized food and French delicacies to consumers by collaborating with local bakeries and single traders. The marketing and promotion activities of the brand are going in full swing as GoPuff is teaming up with Live Nation’s Lollapalooza Paris concert and McLaren’s Formula 1 team. To read more, visit ProgressiveGrocer

Online grocery shopping is still going to be the hottest trend in 2022

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

Consumers now love online grocery shopping more than ever. Restaurant foot traffic is expected to increase in 2022, but people still order groceries online to cook meals at home. As per Acosta’s 2022 survey results, retailers will upgrade and augment online stores by simultaneously enhancing in-store shopping. According to Technomic, Foodservice sales are likely to outgrow food retail dollar sales by 2025. Digitisation will be a crucial part of restaurant operations. Acosta surveyed consumers in January 2022 and reported that one-quarter of them said they expect to continue eating breakfast at home, while 27% and 33% of consumers would make lunch and dinner at home, respectively. Retailers will automate their supply chain and set up robotic fulfilment centres and dark stores to meet the demand. Around 23% of online grocery shoppers will shop online for groceries more often in 2022. To read more, visit SmartBrief

Weee bags $425 Million in a Series E funding round

GroceryGeniuses March 4, 2022

Weee has recently raised $425 Million in a Series E funding round led by Japan’s SoftBank Vision Fund 2. After the funding round, the valuation of the ethnic grocer is up to $4.1 billion. The leading Asian and Hispanic e-grocer in the U.S. will use the funds to boost artificial intelligence and automate its warehouse. The grocer will deliver more than 10,000 Asian grocery items to consumers and will tap 40 states, including Washington, D.C. To read more, visit GroceryDive