Jason Soar’s Post

Convenience stores are a $650bn+ industry and are increasingly adding fresh food options to become destinations in their own right vs. the "coke and smoke" gas station mousetraps of the past. This is evidenced by major players like 7-Eleven acquisition of Laredo Taco Company , Casey's position as the 5th largest pizzeria, and Circle K's new emphasis on fresh food. As delivery marketplaces like DoorDash and Uber double down on non-restaurant merchants for last-minute groceries, alcohol, and other merchandise, c-stores are ripe to meet this demand thanks to their broad, curated selection and enviable real estate. Vroom Delivery is one of the few companies helping small and medium-sized stores sell across major delivery marketplaces just as Deliverect, Olo, and Chowly, Inc. have done for restaurants. Check out my coverage of their brand new Commerce360 platform on this week's edition of HNGRY Trends 👇 https://lnkd.in/gh-uwq3R #convenience #cstore #gasstation #delivery #lastmiledelivery #lastmilelogistics #lastmile #fooddelivery #doordash #ubereats #marketplaces

From electric co-ops to grocery stores, cooperatives are facing the choice to digitalize. For Willy Street Co-op, the choice was obvious, and their e-commerce system is already seeing success. These systems allow co-ops to compete with larger retailers and grocery chains. #GroceryCooperatives #Coops #Digitalization

🔥 🚨 HUGE BREAKING NEWS 🚨 🔥 🚀 Snappy Shopper x Foodhub: Redefining UK Grocery Convenience! We’re thrilled to announce a game-changing partnership between Snappy Shopper, the UK’s leading convenience quick-commerce platform, and Foodhub one of the fastest-growing food ordering platforms. 🏪 What is it? This partnership allows customers to order groceries from Snappy Shopper’s convenience stores network on Foodhub 🙏 #Partnership 🛒 What it means for retailers: - Reach millions of new customers 📈 - Seamless in-store integration ⚙️ - No additional costs 💡 - Incremental sales 🤑 #Growth 📢 What it means for brands: - Increase your brand awareness 🌟 - Access even more shoppers locally to discover and buy your products 🛍️ - Boost sales and grow market presence 💰 #RetailMedia #Snappymedia Ardian Mula, CEO of Foodhub, says: “Foodhub's partnership with Snappy makes life even easier for our loyal customers. They're now going to be able to order essential groceries from store to door in around just 30 minutes at the tap of a button through our app. And, as the UK's fastest growing takeaway marketplace platform, this partnership means we're going to offer even more people the chance to enjoy their food and drink at great value prices” Mike Callachan, CEO of Snappy Shopper, adds: “We’re here to fuel retailer growth and bring unmatched convenience to communities. Partnerships like this, alongside recent collaborations with Allwyn UK, Booker Wholesale, and One Stop Retail, show our commitment to helping retailers and brands thrive—even in tough times.” Together, we’re expanding opportunities for retailers, brands, and customers, transforming convenience shopping across the UK. 🌍 Stay tuned for the nationwide rollout! 📩 Interested in joining? Reach out to me or DM 👋 Read all about it 👉 https://lnkd.in/ePi3QyEb #RetailTech #Convenience #Retail #FoodHub #SnappyShopper #Delivery #Qcom #Media #SnappAds #Community #HomeDelivery

🚀 Exciting news in the grocery world! The companies are launching nationwide pickup and delivery in just 30 minutes ⏱️ for their grocery stores. Plus, they're offering same-day delivery 🚚 for Haggen Food & Pharmacy in Washington. This is a big step to make shopping super easy and fast for all of us! 🛒 Check out the full article on Supply Chain Dive titled "Companies roll out ultrafast grocery service." #SupplyChain #GroceryDelivery #FastService

Square Makes Orders Platform Generally Available to Sellers in US Square’s new Orders platform is now generally available to sellers in the United States after being completed during the third quarter. The new order-based infrastructure is designed to help sellers complete a sale “anywhere and anyhow,” the provider of commerce solutions said in a Tuesday (Oct. 8) press release. The commerce platform’s payments and ordering capabilities include Pre-Auth and Bar Tabs for sellers of all sizes, according to the release. In July, the company launched a partnership with foodservice distributor US Foods, saying that Square’s solutions for food and beverage businesses will be available to US Foods’ thousands of customers across the U.S. These tools aim to help modernize restaurant operations, drive traffic and simplify staffing. “As the foodservice industry evolves and competitive pressures increase, this collaboration with US Foods will accelerate restaurants’ ability to adopt Square’s truly differentiated technology designed to help them grow and succeed,” the companies said in a news release announcing the partnership. In July, Square began offering Tap to Pay on iPhone to merchants in France, enabling businesses to use an iPhone to accept in-person payments with Apple’s Tap to Pay contactless technology. “Tap to Pay on iPhone helps reduce some of the barriers to entry for new businesses and allows existing merchants to create new ways to sell with nothing more than their iPhone and Square software,” Mehta said in a press release. “They can set up in minutes and make sales in seconds.” #food #beverage #beverages #foodandbeverages #needs #dailyneeds #products #business #businessunits #drinks #restaurant #culinary #hospitality Source: https://lnkd.in/gUhCFaFX

 What’s been happening in retail this week? ·      Waitrose & Partners teamed up with Just Eat Takeaway.com to expand its on-demand delivery service, rolling out to 229 branches in cities like Birmingham, Glasgow, London, and Manchester. This adds to existing partnerships with Deliveroo and Uber Eats. ·      Marks and Spencer is piloting an autonomous farming scheme with supplier Huntapac Produce Limited, using robots and drones to reduce carbon emissions. The first product, parsnips, will be available in November. ·      AllSaints debuted an unlimited subscription rental service in the UK, offering womenswear and menswear for £79 per month. ·      Dunelm is deploying Google Cloud’s Vertex AI platform to improve its ecommerce search capabilities. ·      Amazon introduced AI shopping guides to simplify product research, offering recommendations on over 100 product types. ·      Myprotein partnered with Holland & Barrett, launching 30 new product lines, including five retail exclusives. This move supports Myprotein’s strategy to expand into offline retail, following similar partnerships with WHSmith and Muller. ·      Dr. Martens plc announced plans to cut 150 jobs at its UK and US head offices as part of a £20m to £25m cost-saving initiative. The redundancies will affect various departments, including marketing and ecommerce, following a nearly 43% drop in pre-tax profits to £97.2m. ·      Inditex’s UK and Ireland managing director Max Nutz stepped down after 25 years, with Pilar Losada succeeding him. Losada, who previously held senior roles in Australia, New Zealand, and China, joins amid strong sales growth across Inditex brands such as Zara and Stradivarius. ·      THG announced plans to demerge THG Ingenuity into a private entity. CEO Matthew Moulding emphasised operational improvements and a positive outlook for the busy trading period ahead. ·      N Brown Group, owner of JD Williams, Simply Be, and Jacamo, reported a £0.2m statutory profit for six months to August 2024, compared to a £2.8m loss last year. Group sales fell 6.7% to £272.2m. Product revenue declined by 7.9%, and financial services by 4.6%. ·      SHEIN reported a 40% rise in UK turnover to £1.55bn for the year to December 2023, with pre-tax profits reaching £24.4m. The fast-fashion giant credited pop-up store success and UK customer loyalty. Shein's UK sales rose 38% to £1.55bn, surpassing Boohoo Group's £1.09bn. Pre-tax profit doubled to £24.4m. This is just a selection of news this week. Sign up below for more insight ⬇️ https//lnkd.in/d-z25aM

#TLDR - Home #grocery #delivery is growing faster than #pickup. "Delivery’s base of monthly active users grew last month by more than 10% year over year, compared with a 2% drop for pickup. On the other hand, average order value for pickup slightly outpaced the comparable figure for delivery." #commerce #grocerydelivery #ecommerce #bopis #food #fooddelivery #online https://lnkd.in/gwQch_EC

KFC, a major player in the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector, has recently become the latest food company to join the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). This move signifies a notable shift in the digital commerce landscape, driven by the collaboration with magicpin, which will assist KFC with technical integration, catalogue assortments, and logistics capabilities. The initial pilot program has commenced in Gurugram, with a nationwide rollout expected to follow soon. Over 1,000 KFC outlets are anticipated to go live on the ONDC platform within a month. Strategic Implications 1. Enhanced Digital Presence and Accessibility: KFC’s integration with ONDC represents a strategic enhancement of its digital footprint. By leveraging magicpin’s expertise, KFC can ensure seamless integration and efficient logistics, thereby improving the overall customer experience. This move aligns with the growing consumer preference for online food ordering and delivery services, further solidifying KFC’s presence in the digital marketplace. 2. Market Expansion and Reach: The pilot program in Gurugram serves as a testing ground for KFC’s operations on ONDC. A successful implementation here will pave the way for a rapid nationwide expansion, potentially reaching a larger customer base across various regions. The anticipated rollout to over 1,000 stores within a month demonstrates KFC’s commitment to scaling its digital operations swiftly. 3. Adaptation to Market Dynamics: The timing of KFC’s entry into ONDC coincides with the network’s decision to reduce participant incentives by approximately 75%. This reduction in incentives could indicate a maturing platform, where initial subsidies are being phased out to create a more sustainable ecosystem. KFC’s move suggests confidence in the long-term viability of ONDC, despite the reduced financial incentives. Operational and Logistical Enhancements By partnering with magicpin, KFC aims to streamline its digital operations. Magicpin’s role in tech integration ensures that KFC’s offerings are seamlessly available on the ONDC platform. Additionally, optimized catalogue assortments and robust logistics capabilities will be crucial in maintaining service efficiency and customer satisfaction. This partnership is likely to set a precedent for other QSR chains considering integration with ONDC. Conclusion KFC’s strategic move to join ONDC through its collaboration with magicpin is poised to significantly impact the QSR landscape. The pilot program in Gurugram, followed by an ambitious nationwide rollout, underscores KFC’s commitment to enhancing its digital presence and adapting to evolving market conditions. As ONDC continues to mature, KFC’s integration could serve as a model for other QSR chains, fostering a more interconnected and efficient digital commerce ecosystem. #KFC #ONDC #QSR #DigitalCommerce #Magicpin #TechIntegration #Logistics #Gurugram #Startup #FoodIndustry

La Bonita Supermarkets and AppCard, Inc. are both tremendous partners to eGrowcery. The compliment of combined technology between our organizations works exceptionally well and this retailer is out-performing the national averages - by quite a bit! Well done! https://lnkd.in/gFyw_9RB #Loyalty, #LaBonita, #AppCard, #DigitalCommerce, #HappyCustomers, #eCom, #eCommerce, #GroceryTech, #TeamGrow, #eGrowcery Abasto | Food & Beverage Business News