Groceryshop 2019 The Coresight Research team will be attending and participating in the Groceryshop 2019 conference, which runs September 15-18 in Las Vegas. The conference is expected to bring together over 3,000 attendees and more than 200 speakers. Discussion topics will include the transformation of the retail industry, including convenience stores, supermarkets and e-commerce, and changes in the production and distribution of CPGs across multiple retail verticals. The event also covers the rapid shifts in how consumers discover, shop and buy — from the use of new technologies and business models to the latest shopper trends. Emerging Technology Spotlight Session This is the second year the Coresight Research team will support Groceryshop’s early-stage technology startup event: On September 15, Coresight Research CEO and Founder Deborah Weinswig will emcee the Emerging Technology Spotlight, which features 20 innovative technology companies presenting their solutions to solve major retail problems. Groceryshop selected the participating startups based on their solutions, looking for companies that solve some of the most pressing challenges in grocery, e-commerce, food and CPG. All participating startups offer business-to-business (B2B) solutions. Over 130 companies applied to present at the event: From that group, we selected the 20 using a rigorous vetting process. These are some of the selection criteria:

• Early-stage, defined as pre-series A funding.
• Relevant to the grocery and/or CPG industries.
• B2B solutions (not consumer-facing).
• Scalable (good growth prospects).
• Highly innovative (deep differentiation).
• Important (solving a major industry problem).

The companies span several countries, although most are based in the US:

• US: 14
• Canada: 2
• Israel: 2
• Australia: 1
• Spain: 1

We categorized the 20 companies into four buckets of retail disruption: Data and Insights: Digital technology is creating new metrics and capabilities to glean insights and understand the best way to meet and exceed customer expectations. Improved Shopping Experiences: Shoppers demand intuitive and more seamless grocery experiences, both online and in-store. Grocery retailers face challenges in keeping their assortment up to date and in sync with fast-changing consumer demand. Next-Generation Marketing: With so many different touchpoints and channels to reach consumers, engagement has become more complex than ever. There are also rapid shifts emerging in how consumers discover, shop and buy. New marketing technologies help grocery retailers and CPGs engage and acquire customers. Operations and Supply Chain: Over the next few years, new omnichannel grocery offerings will likely go mainstream, giving consumers new experiences as well as more convenient delivery and pickup options. Simultaneously, technologies such as robotics, AI and IoT are changing how grocery items move from producer to store to consumer. CoupDog at a Glance Founded in 2016, CoupDog offers retailers and brands a digital coupon platform powered by blockchain to manage coupon’s entire lifecycle. CoupDog technology integrates digital coupons with the latest mobile wallet platforms from Apple and Google, as well as retailer Load2Card’s platforms. The company’s technology provides format to create and distribute offers, so consumers can save coupons or retailer loyalty cards in their mobile wallets. With bank-grade encrypted security, CoupDog reduces the risk of fraud and redemption issues that have plagued the industry for many years. The platform delivers value to three primary stakeholders: retailers, CPGs and consumers:

• Retailers: At store level, CoupDog delivers operational efficiencies at checkout and back-office due to electronic validation of purchase rules and automated coupon clearing, using Blockchain’s distributed ledger as the absolute record of truth.
• CPGs: Brands are able to better leverage online media expenditure with a direct response purchase incentive. Brands can monitor online attribution to in-store conversion and adjust media buys in real-time.
• Consumers: Get the convenience of saving offers on their mobile phones for portable, all-time access instead of carrying around paper coupons. Consumers can also create a MyOffers account to store all their digital coupons and redeem validated purchases at retail checkout with a single swipe.

[caption id="attachment_96069" align="aligncenter" width="700"] Source: CoupDog[/caption]   What Problem Does CoupDog Solve? Retailers and brands want to make sure their customers can receive and use coupons conveniently. However, some transaction-based programs are unsecure, leading to a substantial increase in loyalty fraud in recent years. CoupDog delivers a more secure, dynamic and targeted way for retailers and brands to issue digital offers and create loyalty programs. Headquarters Toronto. Funding Stage n/a Management Team Cofounder and Director Rob Balfour served as President and CEO at Trapeze Media for 12 years. He also cofounded eAdvocate Ltd prior to CoupDog. Cofounder and Director Greg Bandler has direct experience in grocery retail and CPG marketing and technology. He has also been involved in a number of startups, bringing vision and strategy to drive growth and market success.   Market Potential According to Deloitte, blockchain technology is transforming the retail industry by creating a giant database that is open and decentralized, yet has strict controls over privacy so that customers must authorize access to this data. Company Outlook CoupDog launched commercially in April 2019. The company is now working with Rouses Market, one of the largest independent grocers in Canada.