Latest from AutoStore, AiFi, Diebold Nixdorf: last week’s most read RTIH retail technology stories
These are the RTIH articles that caught your fancy last week, including H-E-B, Żabka Group, Currys, Primark, Aldi, and Excellent Zephyr.
H-E-B taps AutoStore tech for ‘world’s most sophisticated and advanced grocery store’
Supply chain consultant and former Amazon executive, Brittain Ladd, has provided a first look at an AutoStore micro fulfilment centre (MFC) installed in a H-E-B store in Plano, Texas, USA.
In a LinkedIn post, Ladd said: “I can state with no hesitation that the installed MFC is the most incredible AutoStore MFC I've ever seen.”
“H-E-B can legitimately claim to operate the most sophisticated and advanced grocery store in the world. Carrefour, Tesco, Majid Al Futtaim, Hy-Vee., and Amazon, need to pay close attention to what HEB is doing; especially Hy-Vee and Amazon.”
2022 RTIH Innovation Awards winners and highly commended entries announced
Now into their fourth year, the awards celebrate global tech innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
We received a record number of submissions in 2022 across 14 categories (you can find a full rundown of the 2022 shortlists here).
Our winners and highly commended companies were announced during a sold out event that took place in central London last month and was attended by retailers, tech suppliers, members of our judging panel, and sponsors.
So, without further ado, here is the 2022 RTIH Innovation Awards hall of fame.
Congratulations to our latest entrants!
Retail technology gone wrong? Jelle Prins slams 'arrogant, simplistic' Aldi Utrecht till-free store
Last year, Aldi Nord opened a Trigo powered Aldi Shop & Go store in the Dutch city of Utrecht.
This is a 3,982 square feet location where shoppers can walk in, select their items, and walk out without having to queue at the checkout lane or scan any items.
In its largest store format to date, Trigo applies its algorithms to shelf sensors and ceiling mounted cameras which analyse anonymised shoppers' movements and product choices.
Payments and receipts are settled digitally.
The store featured in one of our weekly coolest retail technology plays round ups.
And Jan Oostvogels, CEO at Aldi Holding in the Netherlands, said in a press release: "We are very proud to be able to test this innovation project in Utrecht together with our customers.”
“It fits our strategy as a discounter to make shopping as easy as possible for our customers. After all, our experience shows that our customers appreciate quick and easy processes at the checkouts. Our test shop in Utrecht fits this perfectly."
But not everybody is a fan.
Jelle Prins, who has designed apps for the likes of Uber and Booking.com, popped along to see what all the fuss was about and ended up venting spleen on Twitter.
NRF 2023, new CEOs and cash automation solutions: our biggest retail technology stories on LinkedIn
We’re big fans of LinkedIn and are busy building an amazing community of retail tech enthusiasts on the social media platform. These are the articles that are currently on their radars, including SeeChange, Diebold Nixdorf, Żabka Group, AiFi, Microsoft, Linnworks, Aldi, and Trigo.
Żabka Group showcases AiFi and Microsoft powered Żabka Nano autonomous store at NRF 2023
Żabka Group last week joined Microsoft at NRF 2023 in New York.
Żabka Nano, an autonomous store concept that has been developed under the umbrella of Żabka Future for over a year and a half, was featured at the Microsoft booth.
“Participation in this prestigious event is not only an opportunity for us to establish new partnerships but also an opportunity to present Żabka as one of the world’s most innovative companies in the retail industry.,” says Tomasz Blicharski, EVP, Managing Director of Żabka Future.
“Warsaw, thanks to our concept, has become the world capital of autonomous stores, so I am glad that we have the opportunity to present this project to a global audience.”
“We want to show how our new technologies, created in cooperation with our partners, make life easier and free up our customers' time.”
From startups to scaleups: eight retail technology funding rounds you need to know about
RTIH rounds up the retail systems ventures who have recently wrapped notable funding rounds, including The Edit LDN, HyperFinity, Oxbotica, Beontag, and Locad.
Majority of consumers say retail technology will improve overall shopping experience
90% of consumers believe technology will significantly improve the overall shopping experience, according to research released by Shekel Scales at NRF 2023.
While nearly 60% of the 573 respondents cited technology that speeds and simplifies the self-checkout process, more than 30% expressed a desire for offerings that help them get in and out of the store as fast and as easily as possible.
SeeChange and Diebold Nixdorf team up for AI powered self-checkout technology push
SeeChange Technologies has announced a five-year partnership with Diebold Nixdorf which kicks off with the launch of the first in a series of AI powered self-checkout (SCO) solutions.
UK-based SeeChange was founded in 2018 as a subsidiary of Arm, becoming independent in 2021 with seed funding investment from London-based Crane Venture Partners.
Diebold Nixdorf’s Vynamic Smart Vision uses the firm’s machine learning to recognise fruits, vegetables, baked goods and items without a barcode.
What’s hot and what’s not? Five retail technology questions for Excellent Zephyr’s Ian Moore
RTIH asks major players in the retail technology space for their thoughts on the sector, and throws in a random question to keep them on their toes. This time around, our five questions go to Ian Moore, Founder and Head of Services at Excellent Zephyr.
Keith Alexander leaves supply chain technology role at Currys for new challenge at Primark
Keith Alexander has left Currys, where he served as Supply Chain Tech Transformation Lead, to take on the role of Technology Product Director for Commercial & Supply Chain at Primark.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “After a wonderful two and a half years my time at Currys is drawing to a close.”
He added: “Whilst my new adventure starts soon, today is all about thanking the fantastic Currys team for their collaboration, expertise and passion for customers and colleagues.”
“In particular I’d like to thank Lindsay Haselhurst (Chief Operating Officer) and Andy Gamble (CIO) for their inspirational leadership and vision, and the teams across supply chain, commercial and the CMC for their focus on omnichannel transformation. It’s been terrific to have been part of the journey.”
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