What will Kroger gain from its Culinary Innovation Center? Should food innovation be just as important as tech innovation to Kroger and other grocers?
Interactive Edge’s CEO, Zel Bianco comments:
Yes, food innovation should be just as important if not more important than technological innovation. People care about technology, but this move by Kroger speaks volumes about changing the shopping experience, and the quality and ingredients of the foods we eat. This focus should be a warning bell for center store brands and even perimeter national brands that your strongest competition may be coming from your retail customer.
Smart manufacturers will do everything they can to collaborate with the retailer and find innovative ways to cross-promote, generate healthy meal solutions and pivot on how they normally think of their relationship with their retail customers — on truly meeting the needs of the shopper.