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"Beep, beep, here's your shop!" Co-op introduces food delivery robots in Cambridge

Food delivery robots are taking to the historic streets of Cambridge today (Thursday, 17 November) as part of a new scheme by Cambridgeshire County Council, Starship Technologies and, the Co-op.

Following a popular pilot in nearby Cambourne earlier in the year, with 98% of people revealing they'd saying recommend the delivery robots to friends, the decision was made by the Highways and Transport Committee to welcome the robots to the streets of the city of Cambridge, with the grocery delivery service available to 12,200 residents within the Cherry Hinton and Queen Edith areas of Cambridge.

Orders are made via the Starship food delivery app, available for download on both iOS and Android Stores, with groceries picked fresh in local Co-op stores on Perne Road and Cherry Hinton Road and delivered quickly and conveniently within the community.

Residents can order their delivery to arrive within under an hour and watch the robot travel in real-time via a special interactive map. Once the robot arrives, residents receive an alert and can meet and unlock it via the app.

Councillor Alex Beckett, who is the chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways and Transport Committee, said: “We're excited to see how the robot delivery service integrates into the day-to-day lives of the residents of Cambridge. 

"The advancement of technology has been a backbone of Cambridge for many years now and this is just another step towards a cleaner more sustainable future. As well as a reduction in short car journeys, the robots will provide assistance to working families and the elderly who struggle to leave their houses to go shopping. 

"The pilot gives us a chance to showcase how history and technology can combine throughout the city streets as we become the leading light in the future of personal, eco-robotic delivery services.”

Chris Conway, eCommerce Director at the Co-op, said: “Co-op is committed to exploring new and innovative ways to increase access to its products and services. Our members and customers lead busy lives and so ease, speed and convenience is a cornerstone of our approach.

"Co-op stores are well placed in local communities to provide quick and easy home deliveries , whether its for a full shop or for last-minute top-ups. We're pleased the trial has expanded into Cambridge and has been seen to contribute to the reduction in unnecessary car journeys while providing flexible options online for shoppers within our communities.”

Andrew Curtis, who is the UK Operations Manager at Starship Technologies, added: “We're delighted to be expanding our on-demand, quick, sustainable grocery delivery service to an additional 12,200 residents in Cambridge. 

"Our friendly robots have been very well received, and as a result are actively reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions in the areas they operate in. We're really looking forward to working closely with Cambridgeshire County Council and the Co-op, and hope to further expand our service over the coming years.”

The robots are battery powered, lightweight and travel at the speed of a pedestrian (no faster than 4mph). They use a combination of sensors, AI and machine learning to travel on pavements and navigate around any obstacles, while computer vision-based navigation helps them map their environment to the nearest inch. 

An average delivery for a Starship robot consumes as little energy as boiling a kettle to make just one cup of tea, thereby delivering tangible environmental benefits compared to driving to a store.

Starship, which was created by the co-founders of communications system Skype in 2014, currently operates a fully commercial service in five countries around the world and partners with Co-op in several towns and cities in the UK including: Milton Keynes, where Co-op was the first supermarket to use autonomous robot deliveries; Bedford and Northampton.

(Image courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors and Pixabay)

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Can't always find the reduced items in store? Tesco is here to help!

Increasing pressure on household budgets has led to a sharp increase in the amount of shoppers seeking out yellow sticker deals. As well as helping people shop for less, it's also reducing food waste, which is a positive bonus. 

A new YouGov survey commissioned for Tesco shows 69% of shoppers now seek out marked down items in store and the thrifty trick is gaining appeal with 33% of customers seeking these reductions more often.

Tesco’s clever new hack will help customers save on their weekly shop no matter when they pop into store with a facelift for its ‘Reduced to Clear’ areas which will roll out to 100 stores by Christmas, and more stores throughout 2023.

The new signage will let customers know the items are “Reduced in price – just as nice” and Tesco hopes it will tempt the 29% of people who said they would shop reduced items more often if the section was made more visually appealing.

Reduced to clear sections feature a wide range of products from fresh produce like salads, meats, bread and sweet treats which  are nearing their expiry date. Which makes them ideal for tonight’s supper or for popping into your freezer for another day to end of season as well as discontinued grocery, plus some non food products.

Tesco Chief Customer Officer Alessandra Bellini said: “We want our customers to spend less at Tesco, and our ‘Reduced in Price’ sections in stores now offers the reassurance these products are just as nice and are another reminder that there's great value to be found on every aisle at Tesco.

"We’ve locked the price of in excess of 1,000 everyday staples until 2023 through our Low Everyday Prices, and we will continue to price match on 100s of Aldi products.

“We’re also helping millions of customers spend less with their Tesco Clubcard, with Clubcard Prices giving up to 50% off thousands of products and helping customers collect points for money off their shopping.”

Tesco’s survey also revealed:  

Meat products prove most popular in the reduced-to-clear section followed by ready meals, vegetables, then desserts.   

Of those who tend to keep an eye out for yellow label reductions, 71% said it’s a cheaper option when they want to eat the food straight away.  Also, 51% revealed it to be a clever great value way to stock up their freezer.  

Yellow sticker reductions are most popular in the east of England with 75% of customers looking out for them whilst shopping. This is closely followed by Wales (74%), and the South of England (72%).  

The move also work well with Tesco’s plans to halve food waste in its own operations by 2025. Tesco has already achieved a 45% reduction in food waste across its own operations since 2016/17 and just 0.35% of food it handled last year ended up as waste.   

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Aldi supports Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme

Aldi, which is one of Britain’s fastest-growing supermarkets, is supporting the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower to help provide an even better shopping experience for those with non-visible disabilities and create a more inclusive workplace for colleagues.

Colleagues at Aldi’s over 970 stores have undergone special training around hidden disabilities and the Sunflower symbol, so they can offer additional assistance to customers who may require it.

Shoppers with hidden disabilities, this can include autism, chronic pain, mental health conditions and mobility or speech impairments, can also use the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower store finder to locate their nearest Aldi store. 

Aldi colleagues across all other areas of the business have also completed the training, and have the option to wear a Sunflower badge to signal to others that they too may need extra support.

Richard Shuttleworth, Aldi's Diversity and Inclusion Director, said: “We're committed to ensuring Aldi is as accessible and inclusive as possible, both for shoppers and workers, which is why we're delighted to be able to further assist our customers and colleagues through our support of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.”

Paul White, who is CEO, Hidden Disabilities Sunflower said: “We're very pleased Aldi has joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower network. Grocery shopping is a basic requirement but can be very challenging for a variety of reasons for people with non-visible disabilities. 

"With such a large number of stores in the UK it means millions of Aldi customers that choose to wear the Sunflower will feel confident that they will be offered help, understanding or just more time should they need it.”

https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com

https://www.aldi.co.uk

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In the Welsh Wind partners with KWS to produce an amazing three grain vodka

And this special Three Grain Vodka is the first vodka product ever released by the In the Welsh Wind brand

And a truly eye-catching augmented reality label tells the 'seed to glass' story of the vodka.

Three Grain Vodka officially launches on November 18 at a RRP £40 (40% vol / 70cl) 

The collaboration between award-winning distillery In the Welsh Wind and KWS, one of the world's biggest seed suppliers, has produced an exceptional Three Grain Vodka.

The Three Grain Vodka, which will sit alongside In the Welsh Wind's other premium spirit drinks, will officially launch on November 18 in Cardiff, the Capital city of Wales, and opens another exciting chapter in the distillery's history as the brand expands and grows its range of spirit drinks. 

It's the first vodka produced by the Cardigan-based distillery for the In the Welsh Wind brand and the story of this spirit, from 'seed to glass,' will be told on every bottle thanks to its eye-catching augmented reality label. This is yet another first for distillery, with the label commissioned by KWS and developed by tech company Juice Immersive.

The Three Grain Vodka is a combination of barley and rye supplied by KWS, which was blended with a wheat-based spirit to create this latest addition to the In the Welsh Wind range.

The origins of this vodka began earlier in the year when KWS' Digital Innovation Team sought an authentic partner to produce a consumer end product from its seeds.

Close connections brought KWS and 'maverick' In the Welsh Wind together and the vodka was born. The story of the vodka using AR technology to share the journey, from the fields to the glass, was also established at the onset.

Available in 70cl bottles and priced at £40, Three Grain Vodka (40% vol) is available online from www.inthewelshwind.co.uk.

Ellen Wakelam, co-founder of In the Welsh Wind said: “It's been a great journey bringing together barley and rye grown from KWS seed with our wheat-based spirit to create our Three Grain Vodka. 

“The final product is smooth and very rich. As a varietal vodka, the flavours of the barley and grain are present, and that's just as we wanted them to be. There's a distinctive rye finish, alongside the with flavours of vanilla and cold ice cream on a warm crepe. It's as good to sip neat as it is mixed into a cocktail or served long with a high quality tonic.”

She went on to say: “Bringing the story to life via our very first AR label is also incredible. We're excited to have the opportunity to tell the story of the grain, from seed developed by KWS and nurtured by farmers, to a finished vodka. We believe that the label, which is artistically stunning, complements our other In the Welsh Wind products.”

Meredith Mendola, Operations Lead for KWS' Digital Innovation Team, said: “We couldn't pass up the opportunity to partner with an authentic bespoke spirits brand and a talented extended reality agency to show how our high-quality seeds become the products you enjoy.”

For the latest news and updates from In The Welsh Wind follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

That's Food and Drink feels that this new vodka, especially with its highly innovative Augmented Reality label, will make an excellent Christmas gift.