Instacart Deepens Tech Integrations with Light Up Tags
Nuro R3 approved, DoorDash hires Flexport exec, McDonald's Q2
We’re starting this week off with some interesting new hardware from Instacart and Nuro, a very telling new hire at DoorDash, and a mixed bag of McDonald’s.
You news hounds may know that we’re entering “cucumber time,” AKA silly season, AKA sommerlock, AKA la morte-saison. No, it’s not really about food or death, it’s just the usual lull in newsworthy activity that happens around August. We’ll be publishing on a reduced schedule for the next few weeks, but if you really need your media fix, be sure to check out our related publications The Curbivore, Ottomate and Movements.
Today’s edition is brought to you by ChowNow.
Today:
lnstacart Launches Light Up Tags at Schnucks
Nuro’s AV R3 Receives Regulatory Approval
Chart Time | McDonald’s Sales Slip
Meet DoorDash’s Interesting New Hire
GROCERY | Instacart + Schnucks Launch Light Up Tags
Instacart just scored a big win for its burgeoning Carrot Tags business, with Midwestern grocer Schnucks rolling out a new “pick to light” function chainwide. The 114-location supermarket began piloting the new feature last year, and found the results so promising that it’s now bringing the tool to nearly all stores. Carrot Tags are Instacart’s software solution that integrates with a retailer’s electronic shelf labels (ESL) hardware to add functionality. Schnucks will be using Instacart Carrot Tags’ pick to light to let Instacart workers activate items from their picking list within the Instacart Shopper App for quicker shopping, higher order accuracy, and improved satisfaction.
The Big Picture: While the pick to light function is new, Carrot Tags’ other features have been around for a few years now, integrating with ESL providers like Aperion. The smart tags will soon integrate with Caper Carts, allowing in-store shoppers to also get a visual clue to where a hard-to-find item is lurking. Instacart continues to beef up its Connected Stores platform, giving it a leg up on its 3PD competition, which have less hardware-specialized approaches to grocery shopping.
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AV | Nuro Approved to Test R3 Delivery Vehicle
Autonomous delivery player Nuro is getting back into the swing of things, having just received approval from the California Department of Motor Vehicles to test its new R3 vehicle. The company first teased its third-gen vehicle back in 2022, but can now hit the streets in the SF Bay Area suburbs of Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Los Altos. Nuro also has a ten-year long partnership signed with Uber Eats, with the 3PD planning to deploy the AV in the Bay Area this fall, with a later launch in Houston also in the works.
The Big Picture: Nuro has taken a relatively unique approach to autonomous deliveries. Unlike sidewalk bots, its hardware can drive on city streets, with the Level 4 R3 capable of hitting 45 MPH (up from the R2’s poky 25 MPH.) And unlike other on-street AV players such as Waymo and Cruise, this puppy is delivery-only, not only does it lack a steering wheel or pedals, it doesn’t have anywhere for passengers to sit. Like many other capex-intensive startups, Nuro has a rough go for the past few years, but with the AV space perking back up, keep your eyes peeled for one of these stylish vehicles on a street near you.
CHART TIME | The Market Doesn’t Mind McDonald’s Slipping Sales
McDonald’s released its Q2 2024 financial results, and the results were about as stale as yesterday’s french fries. Both revenue and income inched down slightly, but more damingly: same-store sales fell 1%, the first drop since Q2 2020 (you may have some not so fond memories of that period yourself.) But the market actually took the news in stride, with the stock up almost 4%, buoyed by commentary that the chain’s new value menu is driving more foot traffic, and Mickey D’s note that “Successful restaurant level execution and continued digital and delivery growth positively contributed to results.”
HIRING | DoorDash’s New VP Hints at Grand Logistics Ambitions
DoorDash just make an interesting new executive hire, with Parisa Sadrzadeh coming on as Vice President of Strategy and Operations. Sadrzadeh comes with heaps of logistics and fulfillment experience at Flexport and Amazon, which suggests DoorDash has grand plans to expand its non-restaurant delivery biz. DoorDash COO Prabir Adarkar welcomed Sadrzadeh by saying her “customer-first ethos, strong product orientation, and experience with high-growth initiatives make her an ideal fit.”
The Big Picture: Sadrzadeh just wrapped up nearly two years at fulfillment disruptor Flexport, where she served as Executive Vice President, SMB & Omnichannel Fulfillment. Prior to that she spent over eleven years at Amazon, working here way up to VP, WW Delivery Service Partner Program. (And prior to that she had a career in journalism and copy editing, quite the pivot!) DoorDash has made a concerted effort to win over retailers of all stripes, expect to see its delivery network become an even more integrated fulfillment tool for ecommerce players of all sizes.
A Few Good Links
Why instant delivery struggles outside of India. Magicpin investing $12M to onboard new merchants into India’s Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform. Zomato launches Brand Packs. NYC pushes for safe ebike charging. Rapido, which is deeply integrated with Swiggy, raises $120M. Zapp unveils new e-mopeds for developing countries. Mexico lacks regulatory clarity on e-mopeds. Kenyans turn to BNPL to finance micromobility. Mexican gig workers prefer package delivery to food delivery. IFood looks to combat food insecurity in Brazil. McDonald’s Japan intros Watermelon Frappé and Banana Macaron. Grab calls off Trans-cab purchase after regulatory scrutiny. Voi cuts losses. Uber unveils new ad campaign. FSC Franchise Co. seeks fourth regional brand. UPS hikes surcharges. Grid unreliability hobbles Texan retailers. WeRide eyes US IPO. CFPB comes after tricky rent-to-own financiers. Regulators warn bank-fintech alliances to get their houses in order after Synapse collapse. Curbee launches SaaS maintenance tools for car dealers. Something you can’t deliver: Applebee’s relaunches all you can eat menu. Chipotle lipstick. Deliveroo partners with The Perfume Shop for Plus Diamond perks. How cargo scooters are engineered. Yelp adds ad tools. Revel heads to DTLA.
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