QUINCY, Mass., Jan. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Stop & Shop announced that it will launch driverless grocery vehicles in the Greater Boston area beginning in Spring 2019. The vehicles will bring a selection of Stop & Shop produce as well as meal kits and convenience items directly to consumers, so they can shop right at their doorsteps. Part of an engagement with San Francisco-based startup Robomart, the vehicles will address consumers’ desires to select their own fresh produce when shopping via online or mobile and will deliver an even more convenient grocery shopping experience for Stop & Shop customers in the Boston area. The engagement will also offer the potential for Stop & Shop to expand beyond its existing brick-and-mortar footprint.
“This is one way in which we’re leveraging new technology to make shopping easier for our customers - by essentially bringing the store to them,” said Mark McGowan, Stop & Shop President. “We also recognize that many of our customers want the opportunity to make their own choices when it comes to fresh produce, and we're proud to be the first retailer to engage with Robomart to address our customers’ needs with their cutting-edge solution.”
Stop & Shop customers in the Boston area can summon a Robomart vehicle with a smartphone app. Upon the Robomart vehicle’s arrival, customers head outside, unlock the vehicle’s doors, then personally select the fruits, vegetables, and other products they would like to purchase. When finished shopping, they just close the doors and send the vehicle on its way. The vehicles’ RFID and computer vision technology automatically records what customers select to provide a checkout-free experience, and receipts are e-mailed within seconds.
“For decades, consumers had the convenience of their local greengrocer and milkman coming door to door, and we believe that by leveraging driverless technology we can recreate that level of convenience and accessibility,” said Ali Ahmed, Founder & CEO of Robomart. “We’re extremely excited to bring our vision to life with Stop & Shop, one of the most pioneering and forward-thinking grocery chains in the world.”
All Robomart vehicles are autonomous, electric and will be remotely piloted from a Robomart facility. Throughout the journey, the teleoperated vehicles will be restocked with fresh Stop & Shop goods to ensure customers are provided with the best selection for purchase.
To learn more, visit www.facebook.com/StopandShop.
About Stop & Shop
A neighborhood grocer for more than 100 years, today’s Stop & Shop is refreshed, reenergized and inspired, delivering new conveniences for customers. Committed to helping its communities enjoy better food and better lives, Stop & Shop has a longstanding history of giving back to the neighborhoods it serves with a focus on fighting hunger and helping children to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. The Stop & Shop Supermarket Company LLC is an Ahold Delhaize USA Company and employs more than 61,000 associates and operates over 400 stores throughout Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey. To learn more about Stop & Shop, visit stopandshop.com.
About Robomart
Based in San Francisco, Calif., Robomart, Inc. has created the world's first self-driving grocery store. Robomarts are fully electric road vehicles engineered with cutting-edge technology, including driverless tech for autonomy, teleoperations for safety, a checkout-free system for convenience, and purpose-built refrigeration for cooling. Founded in 2017 by serial entrepreneurs with deep domain expertise in on-demand delivery, retail operations, and autonomous vehicles, the company’s mission is to create the world’s most accessible grocery store. To learn more about Robomart, visit robomart.co.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/156df600-5343-4a61-9233-988ffbf0859c