Food Retailers Looking Ahead with Non-Traditional Partnerships

 

Thinking outside of the box can help you understand why and where your customers are shopping when they are not shopping at your food outlet.  More important looking outside the box can help you look a customer ahead according to Steven Johnson Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®.  

Convenience store retail giant BP is teaming up with Hertz to develop a national network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations powered by BP Pulse, the company's global electrical and charging solution brand according to Johnson that is looking a customer ahead while literally building new electricity for the BP brand.

A recently signed memorandum of understanding sets the foundation for Hertz and BP to drive the future of mobility and accelerate EV consumer adoption, according to the company.

The agreement includes the management of Hertz's charging infrastructure by BP Pulse and the customization of its Omega software, which will support Hertz's fleet of electric rental cars by automating charging when the power price is low, while providing real-time visibility to EVs, chargers and power usage.

Hertz's footprint across North America will allow BP Pulse to build and manage a network of fast-charging hubs to serve the general public and Hertz customers, including taxi and ride sharing drivers.

Vic Shao, founder of Amply Power and president of BP Pulse's fleet division in the United States, stated, "This is a landmark moment. It shows the power of bringing together BP's digital and operational capabilities with a partner like Hertz," ... "Together with its industry-leading electrification ambitions, we can change the future of electric rental cars."

Hertz has assembled a fleet of EVs through large-scale purchases from Tesla, Polestar and General Motors. Its objective is for a quarter of its fleet to be electric by the end of 2024, with continued growth through acquisitions from various EV manufacturers.

The rental car company expects its partnership with BP Pulse to substantially expand its national charging footprint.

Hertz CEO Stephen Scherr, stated, "Hertz is accelerating the adoption of electrification by investing in the largest rental fleet of electric vehicles in North America and expanding the availability of charging stations,"  ... "We are excited to partner with BP Pulse to create a national charging infrastructure for the Hertz EV fleet, thereby growing the number of charging options available to our customers and providing them with a premium electric experience and lower emission travel options."

BP acquired fleet charging and energy management company Amply Power in 2021 as part of its commitment to grow mobility and fleet products and services in North America. Amply Power was later rebranded as BP Pulse and began installing charging infrastructure at 25 Hertz rental locations in multiple states in 2022.

Bernard Looney, CEO of BP, stated, "It's brilliant to be joining forces with Hertz — quite simply, they are one of the biggest names on the road,"... "Working together to deliver charging facilities and design solutions, we believe we can take the EV driving experience to the next level for U.S. customers. And this is just the start for BP Pulse in the United States."

So, BP Pulse is expanding its global network of high-speed charging for cars, light commercial vehicle, and trucks with the goal of reaching more than 100,00 chargers by 2030, with about 90 percent of those being rapid or ultra-fast chargers. The company also is partnering with fleet operators to accelerate the electric transformation of their fleets.

Building a Larger Share of Stomach Requires

Looking A Customer Ahead with

Outside the Box Partnerships

According to Johnson, “Brand relevance is in part driven with innovation in new food products in combination with new avenues of distribution all of which are the platform for the new electricity.” 

Johnson stated “that in my minds-eye the new electricity must be very efficient for the supply and includes such things as fresh foods, smaller footprint, developing brands, fresh flowers, grocerant positioning, fresh food messaging, autonomous delivery, cashier-less retail, plates, glasses, cash-less payments, digital hand-held marketing.

All retailers to survive the next generation of retail must embrace the artificial intelligence revolution while simultaneously embracing fresh food that is portable according to Johnson. 

Houston-based BP has different retail models across the U.S., ranging from company-owned retail stores, strategic partnerships, brand licensing, wholesale, business-to-business, dealer-owned and franchise-owned. Its mobility and convenience brands in the U.S. currently include BP, Amoco, ampm and Thorntons.

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter

The Grocerant Guru