Jill Pavlovich, the grocer's Senior Vice President of Digital Customer Experience, stated, "This all-in-one tool empowers the everyday home cook to plan, shop and prepare inspiring recipes without the added expense or commitment of a meal delivery service." She further explained, "Our Meal Plans tool offers greater versatility as price-conscious families can plan a week’s worth of flavorful meals based on their budget."
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GLOIn a bid to integrate their brands more seamlessly into consumers’ everyday food regimens, both Kroger and Albertsons have recently unveiled new meal options.
The Kroger Company, the largest standalone grocer in the nation, disclosed on Friday (September 15) a collaboration with Performance Kitchen, a company specializing in crafting “medically tailored meals” for delivery. Together, they will produce frozen, ready-to-heat meals tailored to individuals with diverse health conditions. James Kirby, Chief Commercial Officer of Kroger Health, emphasized, “We believe in empowering people with resources to help them make healthy choices that will deliver the best outcomes for them.” He further stated, “Offering [these meals] allows us an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to supporting individuals on their wellness journeys, while providing a personalized approach to help them transform their health.”
Kroger already offers virtual appointments with dietitians. By delving into nutrition counseling and highlighting the health advantages of these meals, Kroger positions itself as a valuable resource for consumers with dietary restrictions or concerns who are contemplating their meal choices. This encourages a greater reliance on the grocer in these shoppers’ meal-planning routines.
Similarly, Albertsons Companies, which is currently in the process of being acquired by Kroger, announced on Thursday (September 14) that it is enhancing the Meal Plans and Recipes available on its various apps and websites under different banners. These features provide shoppable content that consumers can filter based on their dietary requirements. The company has introduced a budget tracking tool, which calculates the cost of each meal and deducts it from the customer’s allotted budget, offering insights into cost per serving. Additionally, a “cooking mode” has been included, allowing consumers to navigate the digital platform without touching their devices while they’re in the midst of cooking.
Jill Pavlovich, the grocer’s Senior Vice President of Digital Customer Experience, stated, “This all-in-one tool empowers the everyday home cook to plan, shop and prepare inspiring recipes without the added expense or commitment of a meal delivery service.” She further explained, “Our Meal Plans tool offers greater versatility as price-conscious families can plan a week’s worth of flavorful meals based on their budget.”
By providing these comprehensive meal-planning tools, Albertsons encourages reliance on its digital platforms, fostering loyalty and omnichannel engagement.
The In fact, PYMNTS Intelligence has found that consumers are receptive to food inspiration and recommendations on digital platforms. The most recent edition of PYMNTS’ “Consumer Inflation Sentiment Report,” titled “Consumers Know What AI Is — Not How It’s Integrated Into Their Daily Lives,” drew insights from a survey of over 2,300 U.S. consumers in August. It revealed that 58% of participants had received suggestions from a food delivery service powered by artificial intelligence (AI).
Grocers aren’t the only ones aiming to become integral to consumers’ meal planning routines. Third-party aggregator Instacart, for example, announced in May that it was combining its own AI and data with OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology to introduce Ask Instacart, a search feature designed to offer suggestions and answers to questions.
This tool provides recommendations on food pairings, proposed ingredient substitutions, cooking advice, ingredient lists, various types of meals, details about foods compliant with specific dietary restrictions, and more.
Source: PYMNTS
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