Collaboration and best practice news

Building on comments from president and CEO, Vivek Sankaran, earlier this month, Albertsons has confirmed that it is evolving its buying structure to adopt a centralised approach. Cost savings opportunity Speaking during its Q4 results, Sankaran highlighted that the retailer had increased its $1bn productivity savings target to $1.5bn by 2022. This builds on the $500m savings delivered la...

The Kroger Co., America’s largest grocery retailer, and Drone Express, a unit of Telegrid Technologies, have teamed up to trial a grocery delivery service via autonomous drones. Starting from Centerville, Ohio Drone Express is set is start test flights this week near Kroger’s store in Centerville, Ohio. The drones will be handled by licensed Drone Express pilots from an on-site trailer wi...

M&S Food chooses Relex Solutions to provide artificial intelligence (AI)-based planning solutions that will transform the company’s forecasting, ordering, and allocation processes. Implementation already in motion The implementation process began in March M&S Food’s 1,050 stores and 13 distribution centres throughout the UK and Ireland. The retailer will be using Relex Solutions’ AI-drive...

Ocado has announced it is investing £10m in autonomous vehicle software from Oxbotica. Autonomous driving software Oxbotica was founded in 2014 by two Oxford University professors. The autonomous driving software company was the first in the UK to test self-driving vehicles in public. Ocado first partnered with Oxbotica in 2017, conducting a two-week trial using an early prototype deliver...

Continuing the shifts in membership amongst European buying alliances, Auchan, Casino, DIA, Metro and Schiever have said they are not planning to renew their Horizon purchasing alliance for 2022. Meanwhile, due to these changes and others at AgeCore, Casino and Intermarché have announced the creation of a new alliance. Horizon to end, by mutual consent Auchan, Casino, DIA, Metro and Schie...

This month Kroger officially launched its new grocery delivery service via its first Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) powered by Ocado. With this new automated warehouse, Kroger has taken a different approach compared to most other major retailers in the US. But can this unique strategy enable Kroger to win in the competitive online channel? The Kroger and Ocado fulfilment model Back in M...

We highlight the most read content from March, picking out some of the key insights from the most viewed reports of the previous month. Before the first quarter of the year drew to an end, we explored key topics such as supply chain analytics and click and collect (C&C), and published our first retailer playbook report of the year. 1. Ahold Delhaize supply chain playbook This is our ...

Trade publication Lebensmittel Zeitung has reported that Edeka is to leave the AgeCore buying alliance. The step follows its establishment of the Everest alliance with Netherlands-based, pureplay retailer Picnic. Short term uncertainty likely to be resolved in 2021 Although Edeka’s departure has not been completed, as talks are on-going about the sale of its shares, if it is confirmed it ...

According to reports by the Dallas Morning News, Walmart is set to convert one of its North Dallas stores into a fulfillment center for online delivery and pickup orders. Ramping up online fulfilment capacity According to Walmart, the Supercentre is set to close on 30 th March. While being converted, the 200 employees will be able to transfer to three Walmart Supercentres and one Neighbor...

FairPrice is working with local agencies to test the use of autonomous robots in providing on-demand deliveries in Singapore. Greater convenience and flexibility Source: IMDA The trial is currently limited to a neighbourhood shopping complex in Punggol and the residential area nearby. The one-year trial will assess: Technologies such as AI for autonomous navigation, obstacle...