The Friday Checkout is a weekly column providing more insight on the news, rounding up the announcements you may have missed and sharing what’s to come.
Tesco has long been synonymous with supermarkets in the United Kingdom, controlling more than a quarter of the country’s grocery market, and also has a significant presence outside the U.K. Now, the multinational retailer wants to expand its international footprint — through technology.
Like U.K.-based Ocado, which supplies automated fulfillment systems to Kroger and retailers in other countries in addition to running its own grocery retailing operation at home in conjunction with Marks & Spencer, Tesco is looking to build its business by helping food retailers abroad improve their e-commerce fulfillment capabilities.
To start, Tesco’s e-commerce consultancy, Transcend Retail Solutions, has agreed to provide New Zealand grocery co-operative Foodstuffs with software and equipment to help workers fulfill online orders more efficiently, according to a Tuesday press release. The partnership is launching with two stores under Foodstuffs’ New World and PAK’nSAVE banners on the country’s North Island, and Foodstuffs plans to deploy Tesco’s technology to all of its stores on the island in the coming months.
Transcend has also had discussions with other, unnamed retailers about adopting its technology, The Sunday Times reported earlier this month.
There’s no word yet on whether Tesco’s e-commerce technology unit has its eyes on the U.S. market — but the company does have prior experience stateside, and it didn’t end well. In 2006, Tesco announced that it would develop a convenience store format on American shores — a venture the company’s then-CEO described as “a tremendously exciting move.” But in 2012, the retailer said it would stop running the chain, known as Fresh & Easy, amid a river of red ink.
In case you missed it
Meijer adds new perk for workers
The Midwestern retailer announced Tuesday a new benefit aimed at reducing family care costs for its employees. The benefit, which is available to workers on their first day of employment, covers care for children, adult dependents and elderly family members. Meijer workers can either receive a 20% discount at any one of Learning Care Group’s more than 1,100 schools or have 10% of costs reimbursed for a care provider from their personal network.
Meijer said the benefit will allow its workers to save “hundreds of dollars” annually.
Automation innovation continues
Warehouse technology provider AutoStore announced Thursday the launch of new capabilities for its grid system. They include the ability to have several temperatures within a single AutoStore cube, an expansion of the grid from 16 to 18 levels, a motorized service vehicle to make grid maneuvering easier and updates to the company’s cube control software.
AutoStore CEO Mats Hovland Vikse said the new capabilities will help customers “improve operational efficiency.”
Instacart grows retail media network roster
Instacart announced Tuesday a retail media network partnership with e-grocer Thrive Market.
Brand partners will be able to target specific campaigns to consumers shopping on Thrive’s website and access self-service tools for their campaigns. They will also be able to run campaigns leveraging Instacart’s sponsored product and display advertising solutions on Thrive’s website and app, Instacart said.
Impulse find
Can you ever have too much charcuterie?
Jewel-Osco made waves on social media recently for a massive charcuterie board at its store in Mt. Prospect, Illinois. Spanning 125 feet, the board served up cheese, olives and a variety of meats for the Albertsons banner’s 125th anniversary.
The grocer didn’t stop there with its anniversary festivities. Just a few days later, the banner’s Westmont, Illinois, store gave away King’s Hawaiian rolls after displaying more than 14,000 pounds of sweet rolls in a 50-foot display, ABC 7 Chicago reported.
Despite the impressive efforts, Jewel-Osco might be disappointed to discover that Guinness World Records declared Thursday a giant charcuterie board at a Central Market store in Austin, Texas, to be “the largest charcuterie board in the world to be created and consumed,” KXAN reported. The H-E-B-owned banner made the board for its 30th anniversary.
