Kroger Checks Out a Smart Cart
The Kroger Co. has been quietly testing a souped-up shopping cart that can weigh items, provide shopping suggestions, and scan and pay for orders without requiring shoppers to visit a traditional checkout lane, WinsightGroceryBusiness.com has learned.
The Cincinnati-based retailer is calling the unit, which is provided through a partnership with startup tech firm Caper, “KroGO powered by Caper.”
Plans for a wider rollout are not set at this time, though with 2,700 grocery stores in the U.S., the new technology could potentially be significant for Kroger, its shoppers and Caper. A company spokesperson confirmed to WGB that a test has been ongoing since this fall at a Cincinnati-area store. Additional deployment “will be guided by insights from our customers and associates,” the spokesperson said.
Disneyland End its Annual Pass Program
Walt Disney Co. is ending the annual pass program at its Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks in Anaheim, ending a nearly four-decade-old program that was popular among diehard fans.
Disney said it was “sunsetting” the program and would send refunds to current holders. The entertainment giant plans to come back at some point in the future with a redesigned offering. The annual pass program will continue at the company’s Florida parks, which -- unlike the sites in California -- are currently open.
Ken Potrock, president of the Disneyland Resort, cited the uncertainty over the pandemic and the likely capacity limitations that would be put in place when the California parks reopen.
“We are currently developing new membership offerings that will utilize consumer insights to deliver choice, flexibility and value for our biggest fans,” Potrock said.
GoNoodle Teams Up with Jersey Mike’s to Get Kids Moving
GoNoodle and Jersey Mike’s Subs have teamed up this semester to bring good energy to kids during a tough time by helping to deliver GoNoodle content to kids, parents, and teachers across the country. The partnership will also focus on supporting the incredible parents and teachers across the country who are finding creative ways to educate and engage with their students during this challenging school year.
“Now more than ever, parents and educators of elementary school-age children, both at home and in school, are looking for ways to keep kids motivated, activated, and engaged,” said Rich Hope, Chief Marketing Officer, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc.
Through the remainder of the school year, GoNoodle’s popular Blazer Fresh channel will be powered by Jersey Mike’s. Blazer Fresh, a hip-hop loving trio, gets kids moving with memorable rhymes and dance numbers. With songs specially chosen for both their ability to promote kinesthetic learning and for their curricular value, Blazer Fresh shows kids that knowledge is cool and that being smart is worth celebrating.
Raising Cane’s Named a Best Place to Work
Despite the challenges of operating restaurants in a time of COVID-19, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers – and its fast-paced environment, fun culture, flexible schedules and growth opportunities – earned another place on Glassdoor’s list of 100 Best Places to Work.
Recognized with a Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award for the third time since 2017, Raising Cane’s ranked #89 in the country’s Best Places to Work in 2021 across all industries. Raising Cane’s is the only Louisiana company to make the list.
Glassdoor, one of the world’s largest job and recruiting sites, released its annual award recognizing the Best Places to Work based on company reviews by US-based employees. Raising Cane’s ranking is based on the anonymous and voluntary reviews of former and current Crewmembers shared on Glassdoor throughout the past year.