Saying that COVID-19 has had a major impact on how most companies have adapted to doing business is a significant understatement. In the grocery world in particular, a lot of shifts and pivots have been continually taking place to ensure that customer needs are being addressed and met. And with the pandemic forcing the hands of the retailers to essentially advance five years ahead of schedule in their grocery delivery offerings and technology, it comes as no surprise that Instacart, the leading American grocery delivery and pick-up service company, is looking to streamline its process fulfilling orders by exploring the use of robotic warehouses. According to the Financial Times, the San Francisco-based organization has sent out RFPs (requests for proposal) to at least five different robotic companies that would pick products from “dark” warehouses built with the sole intent of executing these requisitions. At this time, Instacart may be doing the PC thing by crediting this exploration into robotic fulfillment as a way to become a more effective collaborator with its retail partners, but this brings up the concern that the grocery delivery app will eventually take the years of shopper data and analytics that it has collected to make a go of it on their own. While Instacart has repeatedly denied that it will transition into becoming an online retailer itself, in reality it would be a smart move for the company to start making the steps to do so, especially since many grocery chains are utilizing the company as a stop-gap until they are able to efficiently do the order fulfillment and deliveries themselves. Neil Saunders, a GlobalData analyst, warned in another recent article that the Financial Times published about Instacart’s valuation ahead of its IPO that the company “…is at risk of being forced out by grocery stores once they have their own ecommerce strategies more firmly in place.” Saunders added, “Paradoxically, the drive online has actually made retailers a lot more interested in investing in their own systems. If retailers decide to go it alone, it leaves Instacart out in the cold.” And as reports of the varying retailers forming partnerships with the different AI firms and building their own micro fulfillment centers continue to come light, it is only fair that Instacart look out for its vested interests as well.
Late last month, Vice President Kamala Harris, joined by DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes and District of Columbia Department of Health Director LaQuandra Nesbitt, paid a visit to a Washington, DC Giant Food store to highlight the Biden administration’s retail pharmacy vaccination program as well as to highlight the inoculation efforts in Wards 7 and 8, two of the most underserved areas of the U.S. capital. The Biden administration started sending vaccines directly to retail pharmacies in February in an effort to expand points of access for Americans to receive shots. While there, VP Harris spoke with both Giant Food president Ira Kress and the retailer’s pharmacy manager of clinical programs Samir Balile about how the Landover, MD-based retailer is administering the vaccine, the challenges they are facing and what kind of questions they are getting asked by people in the community. When asked about the issues of vaccine hesitancy versus access, Balile noted that while his team does not currently have enough of the vaccine to administer to those that want it, when DC does move into the phase of vaccinating the general public, he emphasized the importance of educating Americans about it as some people in the community had concerns about the side effects of the vaccine. While there they also observed a patient being given her second dose of the Moderna vaccine. In regard to the visit, Vice President Harris sent out the following tweet: “Today I visited a Giant pharmacy in Washington D.C., where local residents are getting vaccinated. It’s one of more than 7,000 pharmacies administering millions of vaccines to Americans directly in their communities. We’re making progress – when it’s your turn, get vaccinated.”
In its continued efforts to support sustainable retailing, ecologically safe farming, and its efforts to eradicate hunger, The Giant Company (TGC) has partnered with Rodale Institute, a 333-acre organic experimental farm focusing on solutions-based research, farmer training and consumer education. As part of its collaboration with the Kutztown, PA non-profit, the retailer will support three key initiatives of the institute: Rodale Institute’s Organic Crop Consulting Services, launched in 2019 with the support of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which support farmers who are seeking to transition to organic through one-on-one mentorship with the Institute’s trained agronomists; Rodale Institute Farmer Training program (RIFT), an on-site internship that trains beginning farmers for a career in regenerative organic agriculture and supports the Institute’s farm share program, mobile pop-up markets and farmers markets; and one of Rodale’s ongoing research studies connecting healthy soil with human health.
“Through education, research, and training, Rodale Institute is quite clearly leading the charge to transform farming for the better, and we’re incredibly fortunate to have this resource just two hours from our home office,” said Nicholas Bertram, president, TGC. “Their important work complements our other environmental initiatives including offsetting our carbon footprint, creating pollinator habitats, and reducing food waste. By partnering with Rodale Institute, the pioneers of organic farming, we are able to support sustainable efforts from the farm to our stores and ultimately to our customers’ tables.”
To help support these initiatives, TGC launched its Healing the Planet campaign on March 1 in support of organizations focused on environmentally friendly initiatives. In addition to Rodale Institute, customers at Giant, Martin’s and Giant Heirloom Market stores also can contribute to Planet Bee Foundation and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful when shopping by rounding up the dollar amount on their purchases at the checkout.
And speaking of in-store round-up campaigns, Harris Teeter announced that it donated more than $7.4 million to local partner non-profit organizations in 2020 from contributions made during checkout campaigns throughout the year. Recipients of the charitable donations include the American Cancer Society (ACS), American Heart Association (AHA), Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters (CHKD), Classroom Central, Feeding America food bank partners and agencies, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), local food banks, , Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), Salvation Army, United Way, and United Service Organization (USO).
“Harris Teeter is incredibly thankful for the generosity our valued associates and loyal shoppers continue to show during our Round Up campaigns,” said Danna Robinson, communication manager for Harris Teeter. “The last year has been extremely challenging for many of the organizations we support, and the funds collected at checkout help provide relief to many of these organizations, allowing them to continue offering critical programs and services which directly benefit our associates, our shoppers and the communities we serve.”
Also doing their part to support local non-profits is Safeway, the local division of Albertsons Mid-Atlantic. Through its Safeway Foundation, the grocery chain has awarded $137,000 in We Care grants to 23 area philanthropic associations in the Delmarva area. The grants not only go to local organizations recommended by employees of Safeway, but are also funded through their charitable contributions. Additionally, some of the grants go to assist employees who are experiencing financial hardships. According to a statement released by the Lanham, MD-based retailer, “This year’s We Care grant recipients represent a broad range of outreach organizations in the greater Washington-Baltimore region, their needs in many cases heightened by the COVID-19 global health crisis. For example, a grant provided to the Arlington Free Clinic will support their efforts to increase access to food for low-income Arlington families during the pandemic. Baltimore’s Friends of Sparsh, which works year-round to help underprivileged families and children, many living in shelters and in transition to permanent housing, will use its grant for their food bank, providing much needed essential food items to homeless shelter residents. The Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), a nationally recognized, community-based, multicultural, and multilingual youth development center, will utilize their We Care grant to support their ongoing food and nutrition programming, including online classes, educational outreach, and COVID-19 food distribution efforts.” Other recipients include the Children’s Cancer Foundation, the Baltimore Humane Society, CASA for Children of DC, Kennedy Krieger Institute, and The YMCA of Metropolitan Washington.
It’s during times of crises like this that not only are these non-profits making the most impact, but they are also needing maximum assistance to do so. That’s why the contributions of the area retailers in support of their local philanthropic institutions are so crucial to the communities that they serve, and also while they should be consistently recognized. So kudos to these and all of the other retailers that continually give back – your continued and tireless efforts truly make a huge impact and are wholeheartedly appreciated.
Until next month…
Karen can be contacted via email at [email protected].
