October 6, 2022
By: Doug Baker, Vice President, Industry Relations, IMF
I recently shared my thoughts on “The Ready Stance” sports stance and how it provides an optimal position to allow your body to change direction, practice preparing quickly, remain aware and agile. Another position to consider is the “forward stance,” which involves switching to an offensive stance and moving from a position of core strength. The purpose of the forward stance is to provide stability while projecting your body weight forward, such as when striking. The Forward Stance reminds me that in food retail, when we talk about digital transformation and omnishopper, we must not only be prepared, we must be ready for action.
The Demand for Technology in Food Retail
Our US Grocery Shopper Trends Series explores the food shopper journey and offers insights into the hybrid shopper landscape. Digitally connected consumers do not think about the channel: they are the channel and expect a seamless experience in all interactions with a brand. The report finds that consumers have an appetite for technology that can support their food shopping journey. Food retailers must shift to forward posture and take action to deliver. But how?
FMItech Launch Contest: Take Action on Your Technology Strategy
Taking action involves finding partners and technology to help develop and implement successful digital strategies. To that end, we partnered with the Center for Advancing Retail & Technology (CART) to host an online pitching competition of food retail technology innovators. This is what the competition looks like:
- A panel of expert judges will judge the online video submissions from the tech innovators.
- Six finalists will be invited to present their presentation at the FMI Midwinter Executive Conference and host a round table within the FMItech program.
The ecosystem of digital tools available to supermarkets consists of numerous platforms and solutions. The FMItech Pitch Competition is designed to showcase the best of the best technology solutions for food retailers. Our first FMItech competition winners shared their expertise in automation, robotics, AI target loyalty, monitoring, digital receipts, and coupons. We look forward to more technological innovations that will help retailers achieve business results and meet consumer expectations.
To participate in the pitch competition, companies must:
- They have received less than three million in funding.
- Complete the application on the submission site.
- Submit a three-minute launch video.
The FMItech 2023 kickoff competition is now open for submissions and closes on November 7, 2022. The six selected companies will receive a Midwinter Executive Conference registration, a private meeting table from FMItech and a five-minute speaking slot. Help us spread the word among start-ups and technology solutions companies.
Enter the FMItech 2023 Launch Competition