Mobile order ahead has become a big thing. This is a bit of a long read, but it first caught my attention because of what I have been hearing about long lines in Starbucks lately and how because people can now preorder their drinks before they get to the store, those who are normal walk in customers are waiting longer than ever to get their orders.
In this article, a bit of history of In-n-Out and the original mobile ordering. Also mentions of other QSR spots. Mobile order and pay ahead is all about time and convenience. Time arbitrage as GaryVee would say.
(link on PYMNTS: Why Mobile Order Ahead Isn’t About Payments)
Automated salad making is coming to a salad bar near you.
(link on Bloomberg: Meet Sally, the Robot Who Makes Perfect Salads)
It would be very interesting to really know what the grand plan is for Amazon. In the video here, they touch on something about packaging – how some current packaging isn’t the most conducive for shipping (their example laundry detergent). This will be very interesting. I have researched selling condiments on amazon and using their fulfillment services, but the issue was product in glass bottles needed to be either individually wrapped prior to sending to the distribution center or pay them to wrap it at a cost of about $1/bottle – the grocery industry has such tight margins already, taking a dollar out of it just doesn’t make it viable.
(link/video on Bloomberg: Amazon Wants Cheerios, Oreos and Other Brands to Bypass Wal-Mart)
Flavors that you don’t normally think would go together but actually do usually gets my attention. Here they mention an olive oil hibiscus balsamic hot sauce. I’d like to try this out, because thinking about it they actually might go really well together.
(link on Specialty Food Assn: Category Spotlight: America’s New Spicy Staple)
Been noticing some brands that have been around a while, refreshing their look.
(link on Food Bev: Rebranding for success: 6 tips to ensure you get it right)
Warren Buffet, spokesmodel 🙂
(link on NPR: Cherry Coke In China Now Served With A Warren Buffett Smile)
Good Egg coming back
(link on SF Chron: Good Eggs hatches new plan for online food delivery)
and a couple interesting observations out in real life:
– I saw an Uber car doing a delivery of products to a business – Uber as a messenger delivery service.
– I heard about a small media team (youtube video production) who was between office leases (lost one lease, hadn’t signed new lease yet) so they were renting an Air BnB house to work out of.
– just heard a story on the radio, interviewed a self proclaimed “millennial” about why they ordered things on amazon so much and she said one example was even though there is a CVS 2 blocks from her apartment, she orders supplies on amazon, just so she doesn’t have to remember to stop on the way home only to buy toilet paper. Ease. Time. Attention. Again, from earlier in this post.. time arbitrage