The latest from Instacart, Migros, and Adyen: RTIH’s six biggest retail technology news stories of the week
It’s Friday, the weekend is almost upon us, so let’s kick back and reflect on another eventful week for the retail systems space. Here's your briefing on the most important stories from the past five days, including Instacart, Foodcellar Market, John Lewis Partnership, Adyen, and FC Bayern Munich.
1. US grocer Foodcellar Market deploys Scan & Pay checkout technology powered by Instacart
Instacart has announced the launch of Scan & Pay in partnership with Long Island City grocer, Foodcellar Market.
The retailer is the first to fully debut this technology for in-store shopping.
Foodcellar can now allow customers to scan the barcodes of their items – including produce – while shopping and pay directly through their phones. This means no more waiting in line.
Scan & Pay links items bought in-store to customers’ online Instacart account, making it easier to shop their preferred items from Foodcellar.
“We know that our customers’ time is precious, and we're dedicated to ensuring that every moment they spend with us is enjoyable and efficient,” says Metin Mangut, Co-Founder at Foodcellar Market.
“Our customers have shared their surprise at how easy it is to use Scan & Pay – there's no need to download an app or learn complicated technology. We’ve been really pleased with the early adoption and our store associates love how Scan & Pay reduces stress for them too.”
2. German football giant FC Bayern Munich kicks off payment processing partnership with Adyen
FC Bayern Munich has signed a multi-year cooperation agreement with FinTech big hitter Adyen.
As the exclusive payment solution partner, Adyen will handle the club's payment processing on all sales channels.
Andreas Jung, FC Bayern board member for marketing, says: “We are delighted that, with Adyen as an official partner of FC Bayern, we can ensure our high standards in our payment processing and always offer our fans innovative options.”
“We are always looking to continuously improve our processes for fans, and simplifying the payment process is an important part of that.”
3. On demand grocery delivery firm JOKR nabs $1.3 billion valuation with fresh funding
Rapid grocery delivery company JOKR has raised $50 million in a Series C investment on a $1.3 billion post-money valuation.
This follows a $260 million raise announced in November 2021.
G Squared lead the Series C round, with GGV Capital, Tiger Global Management and HV Capital participating. In total, JOKR, which was founded in 2021, has to date raised $480 million in equity and debt.
Last year, the venture said it was shuttering its New York and Boston businesses and leaving the US market altogether, with the focus now being on Latin America.
The announcement did not surprise Brittain Ladd, a former Amazon exec and supply chain consultant.
In a LinkedIn post, he said: “I recommended to JOKR to sell their operations in the US, and instead focus on Latin America and Mexico.”
“They contacted me to say that they were "disappointed" by my suggestion and that I "didn't understand their strategy." Actually, I understood their business and the reality of the rapid grocery delivery industry better than their senior executives did.”
JOKR’s latest fundraising comes at a critical time for rapid delivery startups.
Several have suffered from post-Covid hangovers, with funding stagnating and the cost-of-living crisis escalating.
4. John Lewis Partnership seeks data driven Head of Loyalty for ‘game changing’ omnichannel project
John Lewis Partnership is currently working on what it labels a ‘game changing’ new loyalty programme that will integrate across its high street, online and app touchpoints.
To help it deliver this, the UK retailer is looking to hire “a creative and data driven Head of Loyalty to work alongside a passionate and talented team to lead, design and deliver this next-generation programme”.
In a LinkedIn post, it says: “You will be bringing together our My John Lewis and My Waitrose loyalty programmes, ahead of launching our pan-Partnership loyalty programme in 2024.”
It adds: “We are investing heavily in data and technology to ensure we give our loyal customers more personalised experiences, offers and benefits. Join us on this exciting journey of transformation, as we continue being a force for good.”
Richard Hammond, CEO at customer analytics startup Uncrowd, took to LinkedIn to describe the job as “one of the hottest gigs in UK loyalty. I know I have controversial views on the subject but I also know that there's loads of you in my network who would a) love this role, and b) be incredibly good in it.”
5. Dragon’s Den star and Social Chain founder Steven Bartlett set to headline Retail Technology Show 2023
Steven Bartlett, Dragon’s Den investor and founder of Social Chain, has been confirmed to headline at Retail Technology Show, taking place on 26th and 27th April at London’s Olympia.
Joining over 100+ retail thought leaders and luminaries taking to the stage at the event, Bartlett will take his place among leading retailers, including Alibaba, Deliveroo, Curry’s, The Very Group and boohoo, discussing the hottest and most pressing topics shaping the industry agenda.
Speaking on two of the show, Bartlett, aka as the Diary of a CEO podcast host, will headline as a keynote for the E-commerce Growth & Omnichannel track which will be moderated this year by retail broadcaster and ‘Customer Whisperer’, Kate Hardcastle.
6. Migronomous self-driving delivery service in Switzerland test runs on Schindler Campus
Swiss supermarket Migros, Swiss startup LOXO, and Schindler are testing a delivery service called Migronomous.
A self-driving vehicle, powered by an electric motor, was developed in Switzerland and will bring groceries from a Migros store to the Schindler Campus in Ebikon. This is the first such delivery service to run on Swiss roads.
Migros and Schindler are testing the vehicle, called LOXO Alpha and built by LOXO, as part of a pilot project.
Schindler employees in Ebikon can place a Migros order online. Migros employees load the delivery vehicle with the ordered products before it automatically drives, at a maximum speed of 30 km/h, to the Schindler company premises 500 metres away.
Upon its arrival, Schindler employees can use a code to open the compartment with their order and remove their purchases. In the initial test phase, the vehicle will travel between the Migros store and the Schindler company premises once a day from Monday to Friday.
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