Aldi Nord digitises discount retail as it enters strategic partnership with Trigo
Aldi Nord has announced a partnership with autonomous stores firm Trigo.
This builds on a tie up in Utrecht with Aldi Nederland where the pair are working on a checkout-free test store, Aldi Shop & Go.
"To successfully lead discount retail into the future, technology and business must go hand in hand," says Sinanudin Omerhodzic, Chief Technology Officer at Aldi Nord.
"Our close partnership with Trigo unites exactly that and brings together two true experts in their field.”
“The cooperation in Utrecht has shown that we share the right values and that together we can develop quick solutions with an eye for essentials, always focusing on customer benefits."
Omerhodzic adds: "We don't have final reports yet, but the initial results of Aldi Shop & Go are promising.”
"We are now building on this and further developing its concept and the cutting-edge technology behind it together with Trigo: Discount meets computer vision technology 2.0 – always with the customer needs in mind."
This will also include linking with other software applications – for example, checking stock levels in real-time in order to minimise out-of-stock or expired items and to be able to control processes in the stores and the supply chain.
Michael Gabay, Trigo’s Co-founder and CEO, comments: “We are particularly proud to work with Aldi Nord, who has been at the forefront of grocery retail innovation for decades.”
“This next chapter of our partnership is about the digitisation of discount retailing, where computer vision revolutionizes the global discount grocer business model. We are excited to partner with Aldi Nord on building the infrastructure for the future of discount grocery.”
Tesco
Yesterday, Tesco announced the opening of a fourth Trigo powered store in London.
The hybrid autonomous store is located in the Fulham Reach real estate development.
While still in the capital, it has shoppers with different needs than the on the go shopper which is typical of Tesco’s other Trigo powered locations in Central London High Holborn and Chiswell.
The grocery giant says that it is catering to a new subset of customers who use the location for their weekly shopping trips, with larger basket sizes.
FUNDING ROUND
Trigo recently bagged $100 million in funding, reaching a total of $204 million raised to date.
The investment was led by Singapore state investment firm Temasek (TEM.UL), and 83North.
New strategic investors included SAP and existing backers also joined the round, including Hetz Ventures, Red Dot Capital Partners, Vertex Ventures, Viola, and supermarket giant REWE Group.
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