While ongoing high rates of inflation, rising costs, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions represent 2022 headwinds, grocers across the U.S. are racing to meet the demand and adapt to the shifts in shopper behavior.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US grocery sector was lagging other retail sectors in e-commerce adoption--penetration was 3 to 4 percent of the overall grocery sales. The pandemic changed that trajectory. With a threefold increase from prepandemic levels (10 percent penetration), grocers showed amazing resilience in adapting to this disruptive shift. Several of them executed projects at a breakneck speed. If the past 12 months in the grocery world have taught us anything, it’s that omnichannel superiority is the criterion by which the leaders and laggards are now being measured.
RetailToday is proud to present the "Super 25" grocery chains in the U.S. These are the companies that are constantly working to increase their capabilities and offerings to best serve the communities they operate in. The leaders of these companies transforming the retail grocery industry in more ways than ever before. 'Super 25' Grocery Chains is a recognition of the resilient leadership demonstrated by these top grocery retailers.
In the following pages, you will get a peek into how the 'Super 25' grocers are using technology to enhance operational efficiency, customer experience and profitability. Be it for checkouts, automating fulfillment centers, mobile commerce or ecommerce or curbside pickup—each of the grocers are innovatively crafting ways to take advantage of new shopper demands and adapt to rapidly changing competitive landscape.
On the cover we are featuring Francois Chaubard, Founder and CEO of Focal Systems who is building 'the Self Driving Store' - an AI powered system, which will bring transformation change within the grocery and retail industry.
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Happy reading.
John Mathews
editor@retail-today.com
