Albertsons and Google are making grocery shopping easier with cloud technology

The past year shook all of us out of our routines as we adapted to the pandemic. Simple things like grocery shopping took on new importance and presented new challenges. Ordering groceries online became commonplace almost overnight. Making that easier was one of the goals we tackled alongside Albertsons Companies when we started working together last spring. Together with Albertsons, we want to make grocery shopping easy, exciting and friendly, building a digital experience that sets the foundation for Albertsons Cos.’ long-term strategy.

Albertsons Cos. operates more than 20 grocery brands–including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen and Carrs–serving millions of customers across the United States.

Last spring, as the world was in the throes of adapting to life amid COVID-19, Albertsons Cos. and Google held a joint innovation day–all conducted virtually–to figure out what could be done to help people during the pandemic and beyond. In just one day, we came up with a litany of ideas of how technology could be implemented to make grocery shopping easier.

Virtual joint innovation sparks ongoing ideas

Together, we’ve spent the last year turning many of these ideas into reality, and one of those ideas becomes available today: We’re announcing new pickup and delivery actions that share additional online information–like availability windows and order minimums–from Albertsons Cos’ stores directly on their Business Profiles on mobile Search–and coming to Google Maps later this year.

This new feature joins another idea that became reality earlier this month, when Albertsons announced its use of Business Messages to help people get up-to-date information about COVID-19 vaccines at Albertsons Cos. pharmacies.

And as we look to the future, the two companies are also announcing a multi-year partnership to make shopping easier and more convenient for millions of customers, coast-to-coast. Through this partnership, we’re looking to transform the grocery shopping experience far beyond the pandemic.

For example, AI-powered hyperlocal information and features will make it easier to get your grocery shopping done–enabling things like personalized service, easier ordering, pickup and delivery, predictive shopping carts, and more.

As we look forward to the future of grocery shopping, let’s look at some of the trends from the past year that defined how we’re thinking about the future of grocery shopping.