In the midst of a global crisis, getting food from farm to fork has never been more important, and in some ways, more challenging. Nothing has been more essential than keeping Canadians fed and supplied. At the forefront of this is Loblaw, a fourth-generation Canadian company and the largest non-government employer in the country. Through their COVID pivots they are leading the charge on enhancing customer convenience and keeping Canadians safe and stocked up. Instacart is the North American leader in online grocery – they have the largest grocery delivery network in America with more than 500,000 active full-service shoppers. On this episode of RBC Disruptors, John Stackhouse discusses the changes and challenges in grocery commerce with Sarah Davis, President of Loblaw and Nilam Ganenthiran, President of Instacart.

Key Takeaways

• The future of grocery will blend digital and in-store experiences. Consumers want to choose their grocery experience, so how can grocers position themselves to deliver digital experiences for the long term?
• Canadians want to feel connected to their local grocery brand. They want to trust where their food is coming from and know that they have the option to support vendors from within their province. How can grocery brands use this to their advantage?
• As grocery stores continue to go digital, understanding your consumer has never been more important. How can grocers use consumer data to provide a seamless, end to end experience that enhances the consumer’s relationship with their brand?