Grocerant Niche Technology Partnerships Drive New Electricity

 

Last week we learned that CCEP Ventures, the investment arm of Coca-Cola European Partners, has acquired a 25 percent stake in ITS the creators of technology that enables consumers to pour their own beer first and other beverages and increase efficiencies for the hospitality industry.

At the intersection of the age-old question, What’s for Dinner, retail beer sales restaurant beer sales consumers are seeking a one stop solution when sourcing dinner according to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®. It is at that intersection where PourMyBeer found a sweet spot and its technology solution found new partners to drive New Electricity into its brands growth.

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply chain and includes such things as fresh foods, online ordering, delivery, plant based foods, sampling, toy’s, cereal, developing brands,  grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All food and beverage retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food and beverages that are portable, fresh, with differentiation that is familiar not different.  Does your retail path forward look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Why?

The investment will see CCEP work with Innovative Tap Solutions to introduce self-pour dispense technology to CCEP’s customers in Western Europe, beginning with a trial in Spain. ITS’s technology allows consumers to pour and pay for drinks themselves – cutting down queues, reducing the need for unnecessary contact and wait times, and freeing up staff.

The partnership also represents another step forward for CCEP’s Action on Packaging strategy, launched in 2017. CCEP is committed to investing and innovating in refillable and dispensed delivery models to eliminate packaging waste and lower its carbon footprint. CCEP is looking at developing suitable dispense solutions for different environments, and the partnership with Innovative Tap Solution is a key part of this initiative.

This agreement forms part of the wider CCEP Ventures program, which aims to find, fund, and nurture new technology and innovation. Nik Jhangiani, Chief Financial Officer at CCEP, says: “We are committed to supporting package-free technology and finding new ways to help our customers increase value, reduce their costs and provide a better experience to consumers. ITS is an exciting and ambitious business. We are confident we can help them expand successfully into the soft drinks category and grow their presence in Western Europe.”

Josh Goodman, Founder & CEO of Innovative Tap Solutions dba PourMyBeer, adds of the partnership: “We’re excited to take this Self-Pour Revolution to the next level with CCEP. Less than 5 years ago, our company was just me and one other person and our focus was just self-pour taprooms dispensing beer, wine, and cocktails through our technology.

Here are some facts: Foodservice Solutions® recent Grocerant ScoreCards found 87.1% of consumers bought Ready-2-Eat, Heat-N-Eat, or Ready-2-Drink fresh prepared food and beverages because it was Fresh. With 86.6% of consumers saying they were seeking a specific Flavor, 82.5% believe it is restaurant quality and 77.2% were buying because it was a Complete Meal.   

Are you looking for a new partnership to drive sales? Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing tactics look more like yesterday that tomorrow?  Visit GrocerantGuru.com for more information or contact: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us Remember success does leave clues and we just may have the clue you need to propel your continued success.