Stretch: Smarter Shopping Today for a Better Today and Tomorrow

 

In the suburbs of Dallas, around the family kitchen table, a young Andy Ellwood first learned math and budgeting through real-life lessons taught by his parents. Home-schooled and raised to think critically, Ellwood grew up with a practical understanding of how numbers shape everyday life. Today, as CEO of Stretch, he’s applying those early lessons to create a smarter, fairer way for households to manage grocery shopping—helping families stress less, save more, and focus on what matters most.

Ellwood’s career has been anything but conventional. He started out selling life insurance, then moved into private aviation, selling jets for Warren Buffett. From there, he shifted into the startup world, helping build companies that went on to be acquired by Facebook and Google. Later, he founded an executive coaching practice in New York City, guiding leaders to challenge old assumptions and unlock new possibilities.

Across every stage of his journey, Ellwood has looked for overlooked opportunities and turned them into meaningful solutions. His philosophy is simple: the future has already arrived—it just isn’t evenly distributed. For him, technology should serve everyone, not just the privileged. Stretch, his latest venture, embodies that vision.

Smarter Shopping with Stretch

Stretch is designed to make grocery shopping seamless, smarter, and more affordable for households everywhere.

·       Less Daily Stress: By helping users stay in control of household spending, Stretch allows families to plan better, save more, and focus on what really matters.

·       Smart Grocery Lists: The platform builds personalized shopping lists based on habits, so essentials are never forgotten and wasted time is eliminated.

·       Price & Availability Tracking: Stretch tracks grocery prices in real time, making it easy to find the best option without second-guessing.

·       Your Personal Shopping Assistant: By finding the best deals on the items you already want, Stretch turns everyday shopping into smarter shopping.

Ellwood would also like to simplify the age-old household question of “what’s for dinner?” By helping families make that decision at a lower cost, the Stretch app aims to elevate, educate, and edify the dinner shopping experience—saving time, money, and stress along the way.

Insights from the Grocerant Guru®

Food industry strategist Steven Johnson known as the Grocerant Guru® offers four key insights that validate the importance of Stretch:

1.       Consumers Value Convenience: Shoppers increasingly want technology that reduces friction in daily tasks like meal planning and grocery shopping. Stretch delivers on this need.

2.       Price Transparency Drives Loyalty: Families want to know they’re making the best financial choices. Real-time price tracking is a powerful trust builder.

3.       Personalization is the Future of Food Retail: Smart list-building based on personal habits makes Stretch an ahead-of-the-curve solution.

4.       Blurring Lines Between Digital and In-Store Shopping: Stretch bridges online data with in-store decision-making, aligning perfectly with modern consumer behavior.

Making Room for Many

Ellwood’s leadership style is about creating space for others to thrive. By challenging the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality, he helps people and organizations see beyond their limitations and uncover untapped potential. Stretch is a natural extension of that belief: a tool designed not just for the few, but for the many.

With Stretch, Ellwood is building more than a company, he’s shaping a movement toward smarter shopping, reducing stress, and better futures.

Stretch Smarter Shopping Today for a Better  Today and Tomorrow.

Success Leaves Clues—Are You Ready to Find Yours?

One key insight that continues to drive success is this: "The consumer is dynamic, not static." This principle is the foundation of our work at Foodservice Solutions®, where Steven Johnson, the Grocerant Guru®, has been helping brands stay relevant in an ever-evolving market.

Want to strengthen your brand’s connection with today’s consumers? Let’s talk. Call 253-759-7869 for more information.

Stay Ahead of the Competition with Fresh Ideas

Is your food marketing keeping up with tomorrow’s trends—or stuck in yesterday’s playbook? If you're ready for fresh ideations that set your brand apart, we’re here to help.

At Foodservice Solutions®, we specialize in consumer-driven retail food strategies that enhance convenience, differentiation, and individualization—key factors in driving growth.

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