Progress and Challenges For Reinventing Food Packaging For Sustainability

Is the drive for sustainable packaging moving society toward the day where that entire box of breakfast cereal, six-pack of beer, bottle of wine and frozen pizza will be edible or compostable—package, as well as contents?

Nature has provided the food industry with the perfect packages to imitate in the drive to embrace a new genre of boxes, bottles, fast-food clam shells and other sustainable packaging material for the 21st century.

Speaking at the 246th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in September, Sara Risch, Ph.D., said that new packaging materials must meet the criteria for being sustainable without sacrificing the security, freshness and visibility of the food inside.

“We face a huge challenge in developing new packaging materials that protect food all through the supply chain while being recyclable, compostable, produced with renewable energy or even edible,” Risch explained. Nature has set the standard, and it is daunting. Apples, oranges, bananas, nuts—all come in packaging that is edible or compostable.

Risch said that the food industry clearly is embracing sustainable packaging.Although definitions vary, sustainable packaging often means packaging that can be composted, recycled or reused and is produced, transported and recycled using renewable energy; made with renewable or recycled materials; made in ways that optimize use of energy; and safe for people and the environment throughout its life cycle.

“The industry has made great strides in reducing the amount of packaging,” said Risch, citing some of the most visible examples, such as thinner plastic water bottles and compostable potato chip bags. She is with Popz Europe Kft, Chicago, Ill. “But remember that packaging is there to protect the product and that function must not be compromised. Not all materials can be properly cleaned for re-use, for instance, and in some cases, it takes a lot of fuel to collect and transport glass and the heavy materials for re-use. In some instances, the fuel may exceed the value of the recycled material.”

Industry data indicate that use of sustainable packaging diverted about 1.5 billion pounds of paper, plastic and other packaging material from landfills between 2005 and 2010 in the United States alone. Plastic wrap and cardboard boxes may seem like feather-weights. But along with other food packaging, they account for about one-third of the 250 million pounds of solid waste that people in the United States produce annually.

Risch cites compostable plastic bottles, food trays and cutlery as an example of the challenges that lie ahead. Although microbes in the soil do break down those plastics, much like leaves and grass in a garden compost pile, uncertainties exist about the nature and fate of the degradation products released during the breakdown.

Edible packaging is getting a lot of attention, Risch said. One fast-food chain in Brazil late last year posted an online video of its customers eating burgers –– paper wrap and all. The technology for making edible packaging already exists, and several companies are experimenting with food wraps made from dried fruit, mushrooms, nuts and other material.

Is the drive for sustainable packaging moving society toward the day where that entire box of breakfast cereal, six-pack of beer, bottle of wine and frozen pizza will be edible or compostable—package, as well as contents?

“I do not see this happening any time soon,” Risch said. “There are just too many challenges in terms of developing structural integrity, as well as the barriers to oxygen and water, that are typically needed for foods. Without that protection, the packaged food won’t be sustainable. It will have a short shelf-life and spoil quickly.”

The food industry remains focused on sustainable packaging. This is a very broad topic that ranges from water and energy issues to food production and distribution. Packaging has long been the target of environmentalists who want the absolute minimum amount of packaging used. Many people have been proponents of reducing, re-using and recycling packaging materials. While these are good ideas for some applications, they cannot be universally applied. In recent years, there has been an added emphasis on biodegradable and bio-based materials as replacements for traditional petroleum based plastics. 

Source: Food Logistics (http://goo.gl/BQSuFB)

Tetra Pak: Sustainable packaging demand on the rise

A recent survey by Tetra Pak indicates that consumers are increasingly on the lookout for sustainably packaged products.

The company’s 5th biannual environment survey shows that consumers are more interested in eco-friendly packaging than ever before. Further, awareness and interest in recycling is increasing among both consumers and food industry professionals.

Improving attitudes

In this most recent survey, food industry stakeholders show an increased acceptance toward the use of renewable materials. Respondents listed the use of bio-based materials as one of the highest among environmental trends shaping the future of beverage packaging.

Additionally, a higher number of consumers than before rate cartons as the most environmentally friendly packaging type, thanks to cartons’ use of paper. More than half of consumers believe that bio-based plastic improves a carton’s environmental performance.

Good news on sustainability

Simone Pisani, director of Environment Support Marketing and Product Management for Tetra Pak Packaging Solutions S.p.A. told FoodProductionDaily.com that increasingly favourable attitude toward cartons is good news for producers.

“Influencers are more and more positive towards renewability (and certified raw materials), which is a plus for cartons,” she said.

Consumers also are more frequently clamoring for more environmental information. When choosing products, 37% of respondents indicated they look for environmental logos on food packaging.

Global scale

The survey covered countries all over the globe. Pisani indicated that consumer behavior and attitudes toward sustainable packaging and materials varies from country to country.

“Percentages of consumers who state to have purchased a product with environmentally sound packaging are higher, among developing countries in China, India, Turkey than among mature markets, such as Germany, USA and UK,” she said.

More consumers trust environmental messages and claims than before—54% of consumers trust eco labels, up from 37% in 2011. What’s more, 20% of surveyed consumers recognize the Forest Stewardship Council logo and associate it with sustainability.

Recycling priority

The Tetra Pak survey also indicated recyclability is more crucial than in the past.Also, the ability to recycle a package is a top concern among industry members, considered at the product development stage.

While recyclability is the best understood eco benefit of a food product’s packaging, consumers also are showing the greatest increase in interest when it comes to learning more about renewable resources. Thought leaders are keen on reducing packaging weight and

Lightweighting perception

There is also a growing interest from opinion leaders in the U.S. around reduction of weight in packaging, as well as bio-based plastic use while consumers show appreciation for certified raw materials.

This year’s Environmental Research survey polled more than 7,000 consumers and more than 200 food industry stakeholders in 13 countries, including the US, the UK, France China and others. The company’s research partner is Firefly Millward Brown.

Source: Food Production Daily (http://goo.gl/7hO7SG)

2014 : Wallmart Contre Amazon, La Vraie Bataille Entre Brick And Mortar Et Pure Player Va Commencer

A ma gauche :

- Walmart leader mondial du commerce de détail (CA / 500 Md$ pour 17Md$ de bénéfices) et passé aussi à la vente en ligne. 200 000 000 de clients par semaine .... Date de création 1962. 

 

A ma droite :

- Amazon leader mondial du e-commerce CA / 160 Md$ avec une progression fulgurante, qui vient d’être récompensée hier par Wall street avec une progression de 9,4% de son cours, due à un trimestre exceptionnel (+/- 26Md$ ce qui projette un CA annuel qui dépassera certainement le 80 Md$ cette année alors que ses prévision étaient de 74 Md$…) Rappelons que son CA en 1997 était de 148 M$ (112M€). Sa valorisation actuelle ? 134 Md$. Vous suivez ? 

 

A ce rythme, l’enjeu de Wallmart est simple : "si je ne gagne pas la bataille du e-commerce, je perds à terme mon leadership mondial … au profit du pure player  ! " . Une hypothèse que les analyste envisage aux environs de 2016 … Et Alibaba ( 167 Md$ de CA) n’est pas encore rentré dans la bataille ‘’hors asie’’…et vient de racheter une société leader en logistiqueaux US ShopRunner... et il s'est jurée de dépasser Wallmart aux USA en 2016...

Mobilisation générale : Wallmart met 1500 personnes sur la table pour gagner la bataille du e-commerce mondial.

On le savait, 1500 personnes réunies sur un seul site travaillent chez@WallmartLabs et Wallmart Global e-commerce (voir mon post Mutation du commerce : Walmart réoriente sa stratégie sur le multi canal et le multi format . ) en Californie .. proche de la Silicon Valley comme par hasard. Un ‘’spin off’’ et une véritable start-up à part entière chargée de travailler à la mutation e-commerce de Wallmart.

Et autant il est difficile de contester le leadership mondial du commerce de ‘’détail’’ de Wallmart, autant son adaptation au commerce en ligne n’est pas gagnée... à encore énormément à apprendre pour rattraper son retard ce qui explique cette extraordinaire mobilisation sur le sujet.

L’obsession d’Amazon ? ‘’ Gagner des marchés à tout prix avec pour seul objectif la satisfaction client ‘’..

L’obsession de Wallmart ? ‘’rattraper mon retard pour ne pas perdre mon lead aux USA et plus globalement, donc me mettre amazon en ligne de mire’’. 

Mais au delà Wallmart veut maîtriser l’intégralité des nouveaux médias et network du net ( google, youtube, réseaux sociaux .... ) et des technologies.

Pour ce faire, avec succès , cette start-up à ‘’page blanche’’ pour écrire une nouvelle page de l’histoire de Wallmart avec une ambiance campus ‘’à la Google’’ : espaces de travail cool, postes de travail sur ‘’tapis roulant’’ pour réfléchir en se détendant et en entrenant sa forme (c’est meilleur pour travailer) si si ! … et des tables de baby-foot (ça c’est banal….). Egalement des journées ‘’Hack-Days’’ pour inciter les ingénieurs à  poursuivre leurs propres centres d’intérêts, même de ‘hakers’’….  

      

Enfin, @WallmartLabs et Wallmart Global e-commerce fait l’acquisition de startups innovantes - Torbit , OneOps , Labs savoureux et Inkiru - qui peuvent améliorer leur capacité à croquer les données et à augmenter la vitesse du web. Le bonus des ‘’petites’’ et fraîches acquisitions , c'est que le talent des fondateurs et des ingénieurs initiateurs de leurs projets peuvent être encouragés à continuer l’aventure en intégrant la marque Walmart ''numérique''.

Les premières tentatives d'e-commerce par Walmart ont donc inclus le ‘’click and pick up’’ ( oui le drive tel que nous le connaissons en France n’existe pas aux USA, et avec 3500 grandes surface pas si simple à mettre en place…-  les ''Lockers'' pour retirer ses courses sans faire la queue et ne pas écarter les personne ne pouvant payer en ligne : ¼ des clients Wallmart n’ont pas de carte de crédit ou ne sont pas bancarisées !!! Avec les casiers, ils peuvent commander en ligne et payer sur place en liquide directement aux lockers ).

Enfin la livraison le jour même des commandes en ligne.. la plus grande des batailles du net, soucieux de ne pas se faire déborder sur ce point par Amazon fresh, mais également e-bay et google shopping. Ou des pure player comme Peadpod Fresh direct ou des plate-formes et places de marchés locales.

Et le plus intéressant et évident pour moi c'est que Wallmart est en train aussi de repenser le magasin…sous l'impulsion du numérique.

L’enseigne à l'intention de transformer ses magasins physiques en un réseau de points ‘’actifs’’ leaders mondiaux d'e-commerce. C'est-à-dire en réinventant le magasin en lieu de services, voire multi services. Et intégrer totalement la fusion du ON et du OFF, y compris Et comme Wallmart investit davantage dans la technologie, ils travaillent dans la direction opposée à Amazon en construisant des entrepôts et des points de ramassage et mettent sur pieds une combinaison de magasins physiques et numériques la meilleure option et le meilleur ders deux mondes pour un brick and mortar.

Et vous connaissez ma théorie : je ne crois pas un instant à des boutiques Amazon, Google ou Ebay, sauf opportunément, ex pop up strore e-bay de Berlin pour Noêl. Et c’est la force du retail physique, le poids qu’il a sur le dernier mètre.. mais il faut faire vite.

Et enfin j'aimerai bien connaître la stratégie du N° 2 mondial, Français ... qui peut dans cette bataille perdre encore énormément en crédibilité pour acquerir une place dans le commerce de demain.. matin.

En conclusion… ne surtout pas perdre de temps ... la bataille du e-commerce est la reine des batailles du commerce de demain.

Pour rappel, Forester à sorti une étude il y a un mois qui prévoit que 91% des ventes de détails mondiales se feront au profit d'enseignes Brick and mortar.  A condition bien entendu que ceux-ci se soient adaptés à une offre globale crosscanal car le shopper ne fait plus aucune différence ON OFF.

Mon slogan : 2013 à été une ''année charnière''...

2014??? pas encore sûr ... mais en tout cas, on sait à peu près tout sur les composantes du nouveau commerce, il faut recontruire la maison et integréer la fusion des deux mondes, pour mieux repasser à l'offensive. !!!

Source: Furet du Retail (http://goo.gl/ESMVw9)

La place et le rôle de l’agriculture à la périphérie des villes moyennes

Le sujet de notre thèse, «la place et le rôle de l’agriculture à la périphérie des villes moyennes», s’inscrit dans un double contexte : celui des mutations urbaines et de l’évolution de l’agriculture, qui se recoupent à la périphérie des villes.

A télécharger ici http://goo.gl/SLLNd1

Tetra Pak provides a packaging for a sustainable future

Behind every Tetra Pak carton package is an attempt to be kind to the environment. The company has been providing safe food and beverage packaging solutions to the top Food and Beverage companies globally for 60 years. As consumer demand grows, the company still ensures that they run the business in a sustainable manner as they use resources that are renewable — meaning it will entirely come from materials that can be replaced by new growth.

Tetra Pak cartons are made of renewable materials since it is primarily made of paper which come from wood, a renewable material. Continuous innovations and development work are being done by the company to ensure that packaging solutions are made to support environmental sustainability. 

Tetra Pak globally also provides its customers with FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified packaging materials. It also launched “The Pack that Grows Back” campaign that informs consumers on Tetra Pak’s full commitment to using renewable materials like FSC certified paperboard.

“The responsible management of our forests both protects them and offers consumers and industry a virtual limitless supply of wood and paperboard to meet rising demand for packaging and other goods,” said Tetra Pak president and CEO Dennis Jönsson. “The Pack that Grows Back underscores our commitment to sustainable packaging.”

As one of the world’s largest purchasers of wood used for paperboard, protecting forests is business critical to Tetra Pak. An average of 70 percent of the packaging material in 173 billion Tetra Pak carton packages produced by beverage manufacturers last year are made from renewable sources. And the goal is to create packaging made from 100% renewable sources.

As packaging innovations are continuously being conducted by Tetra Pak it continues to ensure that the packaging solutions it provides customers will not compromise food safety.

Recycling is also key to sustainability and the use of less resources.  Tetra Pak packages are recyclable and globally Tetra Pak Environment team members continue to help make a difference.

“In the Philippines, we have a Tetra Pak Care and Share Program that has already been providing more than 150 schools a platform that helps students contribute not only to saving the environment but in reaching out to the underprivileged too,” says Tess Raymundo, Tetra Pak communications and environment manager.

“We continue to educate students and actively involve them in the recycling of Tetra Pak cartons and at the same time teach them the importance of social responsibility as the program helps their adopted foundations and adopted underprivilege schools too. ”

Tetra Pak also continues to develop packaging machines that help reduce energy and water consumption and find ways to reduce the waste created in production and distribution of the packages. Thus, not only are their operations eco-friendly but they also help their customers lessen their carbon footprint.

Source: Philstar (http://goo.gl/CyyWr3)

5 steps to personalize the in-store experience

The instance a shopper encounters a product at retail is sometimes called the "moment of truth." But the action the shopper makes at that moment can lead in a number of different directions.

Both McKinsey and Company and Harvard Business Review have attempted to describe the new path to purchase. McKinsey and Company uses a looping model to illustrate a circular journey with four phases: initial consideration, active evaluation, moment of purchase, and post-purchase experience. One brand marketer has even likened the path to a pretzel instead of a loop.

The Harvard Business Review blog describes the buying process as both continuous and intermittent and identifies six key states in which a consumer with mobile capability can exist.

A study by Compete identified multiple paths to purchase involving anywhere from 3 to 35 steps. One wonders what shape the path with 35 steps would be.

Whatever the path, consideration of the customer journey is a preamble to effective execution. We've identified five steps that can help those involved in retail merchandising plan for a more customer-driven experience:

1. Evaluate the effectiveness of current in-store displays

Are your displays truly differentiating for your brand? Do they take into account customers' varied paths to purchase? Do they serve as a call to action to connect to other digital assets that impact the point of decision or post-purchase communication?

2. Research new display options

The range of displays and interactive merchandising is always evolving. The availability of floorstands and counter units with iPads and other kinds of streamlined touchscreens has given rise to new category-specific or promotional uses for interactive merchandising. Kiosks and digital signage can combine to create persuasive interactive experiences.

3. Learn from the success of others

Look to leaders like Macy's and Target who have already invested in understanding the kinds of experiences that will draw shoppers to stores with doors and keep them engaged. Look to innovators; there are products that have traditionally been behind counters that can benefit from in-store merchandising that allows customers to touch and feel products.

4. Understand how to evaluate an in-store merchandising provider

Retailers need a qualified provider that understands retail, their consumer and the cycle and timeline of how a merchandising display program should work. They need a partner that can help them evaluate new technologies. Knowing what questions to ask in the evaluation process will lead to the right partnership.

5. Decide how you will implement and evaluate your new display strategy

A realistic budget and a timeline are critical to success. A timeline that takes into account set store dates for installation and deployment can establish a solid foundation. Determining what the test phase and full rollout will look like will obviously impact the progression of a project. Tracking the project on a continuous basis once it has been deployed will help evaluate success.

David Anzia has been with Frank Mayer and Associates for more than 20 years. FMA specializes in retail merchandising displays and interactive kiosks.

Source: http://goo.gl/I51mGX

Fresh Summit 2013: Taking Displays to Another Level

The produce department at Breaux Mart’s Magazine Street location is only 1,200 square feet, but the retailer makes the space count. Breaux Mart places detailed satellite displays around the department — each carefully composed.

What really made these displays stand out during the Fresh Summit Retail Produce Tour is their use of different textures and heights. Check out a few displays:

This display incorporates a small, colorful bucket of avocadoes on the side and boxes of produce on the bottom. The store merchandises different types of tomatoes to the left and right of the large display in small clamshell and bag containers.

Here, Breaux Mart uses the floor to merchandise the pumpkins, piles the potatoes on a slanted table and puts two small bucket displays on the side. This mixed presentation makes the products more interesting to look at than if they were placed on a flat table.

Breaux Mart also takes a multi level approach in the floral department (see left). A variety of plants sit on risers with Halloween theme products on a shelf above.

Read More: http://supermarketnews.com/blog/fresh-summit-2013-taking-displays-another-level#ixzz2j8PIqD3I

Les tendances 2014 en restauration rapide

Un article publié dans « Les Échos de la Franchise » détaille les tendances de l’année 2014 en matière de restauration rapide. D’après les experts du secteur, 3 nouvelles tendances seront à l’honneur l’année prochaine : « l’ExoStreet », le « Veg&thic », et la vente au poids.

D’après les experts du secteur, 3 nouvelles tendances seront en effet à l’honneur l’année prochaine : « l’ExoStreet », également appelé le « snacking globe-trotter » avec des plats à emporter d’inspiration latine, sud-américaine, indienne ou africaine ; le « Veg&thic », qui mettra l’accent sur la qualité et les produits sains ; et la vente au poids, qui répondra aux clients attentifs aux prix. Face à cette nouvelle concurrence, les concepts classiques (sandwiches, burgers et pizzas) devront s'adapter. Ceci pourra notamment passer par une montée en gamme.Enfin, les experts annoncent le retour du « fait maison » dans des offres snacking généreuses et chaudes.

High street innovation

As traditional retailing suffers with the growth of online shopping, innovationis key to survival. While online retail continues to go from strength to strength, the number of shoppers on the UK’s high streets declines. 

A fresh, innovative approach is required for bricks and mortar retailers to claw back some market share and ensure they survive this paradigm shift, according to Dan Wagner, the Chief Executive of ecommerce and mobile payment technology innovator Powa Technologies.

The online retail market recorded a rise between August and September of 13 percent, according to figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, the highest growth for this period in the 13-year history of the IMRG, the UK’s online retail association.

Meanwhile, the footfall on UK high streets, shopping centres and out-of-town retail parks dropped 2.4 percent compared to the same month last year according to statistics from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The figures show that footfall on high streets dropped by five percent from August, fell 2.1 percent in shopping centres and was down 0.4 percent in out-of-town retail parks.

Dan Wagner says the High Street needs to reflect new ways people are shopping more closely and update the way it develops, presents and distributes products, providing solutions to browse and ultimately pay for purchases. Long an advocate for a more innovative, attractive and technology-led approach in traditional retail, he suggests a number of ways to reverse the worrying trend and inject some life back into the High Street.

Dan said, “These figures demonstrate that a fresher approach, like that taken in shopping centres and retail parks can slow the attrition, but a real paradigm shift is what’s needed to reverse the decline. Shops must adopt new technologies and use innovative techniques to tempt reluctant consumers back through their doors. Learning from the .success of the online retail trade and tailoring shopping to the individual preferences of the consumer, with customised recommendations, is one way to achieve this. ‘Click-and-collect’ initiatives between online retailers and stores is another; and conditions have never been more conducive for a mobile payment revolution to play its part too,”

Dan concludes, “There is now a massive opportunity for retailers to improve the customer experience and boost engagement in High Street stores. Retailers should use these worrying statistics as the spur to add a next-generation platform infrastructure to support tablets, mobile phones and enhanced personalisation in their premises. The number of ways that retailers can engage with their customers is increasing and mobile payment is playing a big part in this. It is one of the main ways shopping is changing for the better. Making payment more convenient and taking the transaction to the customer, wherever they are, really improves customer engagement and boosts sales. There is already a huge change underway on the High Street, but much more needs to be done to bring shopping into the modern era.”

Source: http://goo.gl/FeGm6q

Food retail apps and innovative loyalty software platform launched in Australia

A new integrated tool called Mobile Den, which allows retail brands to link digital customer loyalty campaigns and mobile payments directly with their retail operations, has been launched in Australia.

The platform, which is initially being launched in Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) Guzman Y Gomez (GYG) and Starbucks Australia, will allow retailers to roll out branded mobile and web apps that connect directly with MICROS point-of-sale (POS) and customer relationship managing (CRM) software.

Mobile Den is the result of a partnership between Sydney-based digital agency Gruden and enterprise-level technology solutions provider MICROS, and was developed on projects for Starbucks Australia and GYG.

GYG goes digital with rewards program

GYG initially used the Mobile Den platform to digitise its card-based ‘GOMEX’ loyalty program, embedding the function directly into the GYG app for Apple iOS products, such as iPhones. GYG customers can now scan their phones at the MICROS point-of-sale terminal throughout all stores to earn customer rewards and keep track of loyalty points.

With a growing loyalty base, GYG will soon launch mobile ordering within its iPhone app. GYG customers will be able to avoid busy queues by ordering and paying in advance using the app.

Starbucks Australia creates ‘digital wallet’

Starbucks Australia has used Mobile Den to trial its ‘digital wallet’ and customer loyalty initiative. The initiative allows customers to set up and charge their account directly via the Starbucks app and pay at the counter of Starbucks Australia stores using their smartphone.

The app also allows customers to collect loyalty points for future use. It recently won the 2013 Mobile Awards for Online Shopping and Payments award.

‘Cost effective’ solution

Designed and developed over the past 18 months, Gruden said the Mobile Den platform offers “an extremely cost effective and quick-to-market solution” for restaurant chains and franchises using MICROS, or brands looking to implement new systems. As a white label product, Gruden said Mobile Den can be set up in a short space of time.

“The retail and hospitality industries have generally been late adopters when it comes to harnessing the power of digital,” said Todd Trevillion, Gruden CEO. “Thanks to our partnership with MICROS, we are now able to offer a revolutionary new platform that will help brands connect with their customers in new and exciting ways,” he said.

Gruden said its platform means initiatives such as the GYG and Starbucks Australia ones can be implemented in six to eight weeks.

“With Starbucks Australia and Guzman Y Gomez already on board, and with many more known brands under development, we look forward to evolving the platform further with more of Australia’s favourite food and beverage brands,” Mr Trevillion said.

Mobile Den possible features

While MICROS develops the POS and CRM system integration, which looks after the back-of-house operations, Gruden said its work on the platform means it can offer a “comprehensive digital experiences for customers both online and mobile”. The core features of the platform include digital menus, “augmented reality” campaigns, gaming and integrated social media.

Brands can also use the platform to reach out to customers directly with marketing campaigns using mobile phone ‘push notifications’ and alerts.

“Mobile Den is based on two market-leading sets of competencies: our back-end system knowledge and Gruden’s digital expertise,” said Christopher Adams, Managing Director of MICROS Australia. “MCROS offers an open platform that allows us to deliver the innovative solutions our customers require,” he said.

“Mobile Den adds a new element to the mix, offering retail and hospitality brands the ability to provide a fully integrated engaging and exciting mobile and online experience, which links directly to customers paying at the till,” Mr Adams said. “It’s a unique proposition that helps brands wanting to roll out digital marketing strategies quickly, effectively and on a major scale,” he said.

“It’s a first for MICROS Australia and it’s the future of retail marketing,” Mr Adams said.

Core Features of Mobile Den:

•       Digital Loyalty Cards – tightly integrated into Loyalty / POS

•       Mobile Ordering – orders integrated to POS

•       Points / Purchase History – showing last transactions and points accrued

•       Offers / Promotions – Push targeted promotions / offers, location based

•       Digital Wallet / Charge & Gift Card – top up via CC payment and make payments

•       News and information – news and video content

•       Store Locator – nearby and all store contact details

•       Social Media Integration – Share on social channels and see brands feeds & comment

•       Augmented Reality – Advertising, marketing and gaming platform

•       Loyalty Gaming Engine – Game with points and win (scratch’n’win)

•       Passbook Able – Easily integrate with Passbook and emerging wallets

New software platform for food retail apps

Source: http://goo.gl/F7tj1x

How Mobile Technology Is Changing the Way We Dine Out

Mobile technology is changing the way we eat out—from how we choose a restaurant and make a reservation to the way we order, pay the bill and share the experience with others. But are diners really better off? Photo Illustration by F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas; Marcus Nilsson/Gallery Stock (salmon); Brett Stevens/Gallery Stock (salad)

OVER THE MANY years I made my living as a restaurant critic, I dined out 5,123 times, not counting the office cafeteria and numerous airport eateries that I described as "fast food served slowly." Whenever people learn about my immoderate profession, they invariably ask, "How did you choose where to go?" My strategy was quite simple, at least in the unplugged 1980s: I asked around. Then came the World Wide Web, with its breathtaking search capabilities and lightning interactivity. This spawned all sorts of restaurant voting sites, as well as a nationwide upsurge of self-anointed restaurant reviewers sounding off around the clock, issuing so many contradictory opinions that they can be more confusing than constructive.

The past decade has seen many tech innovations when it comes to dining out, but no truly life-altering advancements—until now. Mobile technology is revolutionizing the way diners interact with restaurants, for better and worse. While new apps are expanding, accelerating and streamlining the dining experience, the ubiquity of smartphones can eclipse some of the very reasons we eat out: relaxation, discovery, camaraderie and a fleeting escape from our machine-driven lives. In certain respects, mobile devices are also tipping the balance of power from restaurants to consumers—from "Take it or leave it" to "Do what we want, or 1,232 friends will hear about it right now." To be sure, before long, smartphones will do everything short of plucking a mint at the coat check.

“Bypassing the human in this way seems akin to buying World Series tickets and then watching the game on the jumbotron.”

With mobile technology you can search endless options, cross-referenced every which way. All of the larger dining sites—Zagat, Yelp, Urbanspoon and Citysearch among them—have taken the mobile leap. As a result, dining decisions can be increasingly spontaneous, impulsive, collaborative and easy to change at the last minute. I have discussed this trend with restaurateurs where I live, in New York's Hudson Valley, and not all are sanguine about it. They are concerned that this freewheeling new approach could exacerbate every restaurateur's bête noire: no-shows. As it is, on any weekend evening, a typical fine-dining establishment might expect 25% or more of their reserved customers to blow them off, without even bothering to call and cancel. (This is why restaurants overbook.) Then again, reserving electronically can increase accountability. The online reservation service OpenTable, which has more than 28,000 member restaurants and seats more than 12 million diners a month, sends hand-slapping emails to no-shows, and deactivates users after four personal fouls in a year. Perhaps the biggest change in the mobile world is the way in which diners make their decisions. Not only do they search on the run, but they also digitally collaborate with friends in the process—cuisine by consensus.

If you haven't noticed, a lot more restaurants, particularly the hip and crowded, are not accepting reservations. There are two main reasons: It projects that something irresistibly exciting is going on, and tables turn faster, which boosts income. Previously, had you entered a Pamplona-like scene and been quoted a wait time of between an hour and infinity, you would have had two options: Stand around sipping overpriced cocktails, or just stand around. Now mobile apps like NoWait and Diner Connection allow you to check in at the front desk, leave your phone number, then linger wherever you like. The restaurant sends automated text messages updating your status, and guests can communicate with the restaurant in real time. So, if you are, say, having a jovial time of it at a nearby pub, you can push back the booking (or cancel it).

In some locations, chains like Applebee's and Chili's are betting on customers' preference for the convenience and relative anonymity of the touch screen; digital tablets at tables allow one to order food and drinks without so much as consulting the waiter. Maybe it's me, but bypassing the human in this way seems akin to buying World Series tickets and then watching the game on the jumbotron. This timesaving technology is being adopted primarily by casual or chain restaurants, where diners seldom need servers to expound on the laminated menu; it's unlikely we'll see this mode of ordering anytime soon in upscale institutions. "It doesn't work in my situation," declared Kevin Boehm, co-owner of the Chicago-based Boka Restaurant Group, which includes such luxe venues as Balena and GT Fish & Oyster. "When you lose the experience of ordering with somebody who can give you an intelligent answer, you lose, well, hospitality." The place where mobile ordering is gaining ground the fastest is in the carryout and delivery trade, with services like GrubHub and Seamless.

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The ubiquity of smartphones can eclipse some of the very reasons we eat out: relaxation, discovery, camaraderie and a fleeting escape from our machine-driven lives. Photo Illustration by F. Martin Ramin/The Wall Street Journal, Styling by Anne Cardenas; iStockphoto (dumpling)

It's at the conclusion of the dining experience that the touch screen is likely to become a more common sight at a wide range of establishments in the next few years. Apps that allow customers to tally and pay their tabs electronically eliminate the process of having a server present the bill, walk away, return for the credit card and then ring it up in the back. Programs like Tabbedout and Cover are competing not only for the casual trade but also for upscale restaurants in situations where time is a concern (think business lunches). OpenTable is testing a mobile payment program in San Francisco with hopes of rolling it out by the end of the year.

Some apps advertise that they can automatically divvy up the check for groups of diners, avoiding the annoying back-and-forth over who had the extra margarita; most offer nifty ways to calculate tips. The question of what percentage is an appropriate reward for servers whose role might soon be redefined as "dish fetchers" is one that, as far as I am aware, no app has yet promised to tackle.

As someone who has happily nibbled his way around the globe, toting the kind of pad that needs no charging, it's easy to dismiss this mobile craze as the height of overkill—like roaring a Maserati to the corner deli. Truth is, back in those lower-tech days, I'd have loved to have had that tip calculator, and the ability to instantly check a waiter's math skills. And who needs lingering in the foyer?

You may not learn the waiter's name and hometown, but he's not going anywhere. Ultimately, no amount of technology will alter the immutable reality: that dining out is, above all, about fun. And what's not fun will sink like a dropped soufflé—something you can watch right at your table, on YouTube.

Mobilize Your Meal

Smartphone apps that aim to enhance your dining experience

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Pick a Restaurant

Out on the town but unsure where to eat? Thousands of smartphone-wielding citizen reviewers are here to help. The ubiquitousYelp (free, iOS and Android), which has been around for almost a decade, has the greatest breadth of options and quantity of reviews. Specialized restaurant-only review apps, in particular Urbanspoon (free, iOS and Android), can offer more nuanced guidance for the discerning diner. Along with each restaurant's menu, Urbanspoon includes reviews from users, newspapers and blogs. Devoted users of Foursquare (free, iOS and Android) are beginning to see customized real-time recommendations pop up on their phone: If you're walking through Little Italy, Foursquare can tell you, based on your past check-ins and other Foursquare users' tips, not only which pasta place is worth trying but what you should order once inside. The new pop-up feature is available on all Android devices now and is being rolled out on iOS platforms.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Make a Booking

OpenTable (free, iOS and Android) is still the go-to app for making a reservation, either far in advance or on a whim. The app tells you when the restaurants nearest you (or in any specified location) have openings and lets you book with a few taps of a finger. If toggling between apps tires you out, you can also access OpenTable's reservation system directly through the Yelp and Facebook FB -0.78% mobile apps. Beyond offering reviews and tips (like which nearby places have outdoor patios), OpenTable can help you get into an impossible-to-book restaurant at the last minute. "It never hurts to check the day before at the most popular restaurants in case a reservation falls through," said Jocelyn Mangan, OpenTable's vice president of consumer product management. "We send reminders 24 hours in advance, and that tends to be when cancellations happen."

If you still can't get a table at that hot restaurant—or if said restaurant is so hot it doesn't take reservations—you may just have to show up. But thanks to new services likeWaitAway and BuzzTable that are available to restaurants, you no longer have to stand shoved against a crowded bar with a germy buzzer sticking out of your handbag. Instead, you just give your phone number to the host, wander wherever you'd like and you'll get a text message when your table is ready. The NoWait app (free, iOS only), set to launch nationwide in January, takes this convenience one step further, putting the power in diners' hands: You don't even have to leave your home to get in line. Browse the app for average wait times in your area, choose where you'd like to dine and breeze into the restaurant right when your table is ready.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Order In

Phoning in a food-delivery order is just so 2011. These days, if you want takeout or delivery fast, just launch an app. Since your credit-card information is saved within the app, you can summon a different cuisine to your door every day of the week without the hassle of fishing out your wallet. Even better: These services come at no cost to the diner and make their money by taking a percentage (usually around 10%) off the order directly from the restaurant.

The mobile takeout-ordering market is booming. GrubHub and Seamless (both free, iOS and Android)—which merged earlier this year but are, for the moment, keeping their brand identities distinct—have a network of more than 25,000 restaurants all over the U.S., spread across more than 500 cities and 350 college campuses, with an average of 130,000 orders processed a day. Eat24 (free, iOS and Android), another online food-delivery behemoth, works with roughly the same number of restaurants and processes "tens of thousands of orders" every day, said its CMO, Amir Eisenstein. Eat24's recent partnership with Yelp—which enables Yelp addicts to place their orders directly through their preferred interface—has made ordering food online even easier.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Pay Your Bill

The bother of waiting around for a check, or struggling to figure out how much everyone owes, is a thing of the past. With mobile-payment apps, you can now pay your dinner bill (or, even more conveniently, bar tab) and calculate tip, all from your smartphone. Tabbedout (free, iOS and Android) currently works in 5,000 restaurants in major markets all over the country, while the newer app Cover (free, iOS) is NYC-only for the moment. OpenTable will also be rolling out a mobile-payment feature in San Francisco later this year.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Find a Happy Hour

Wherever you are, there's probably a $5 martini within spitting distance. Happy hour apps like DrinkOwl (free, iOS and Android) and Happy Hour Finder (free, iOS and Android) can steer you to the most happening bars and most alluring drink specials around the country.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Follow Your Diet

HealthyOut (free, iOS and Android) makes it easy to stick to your diet without getting stuck in your house. Whether you're practicing vegetarianism, trying to cut down on sodium or following a diet trend (Paleo, South Beach, even the China Study), just tap in your "dietary desires" and the app will present you with a list of approved dishes at restaurants in your vicinity. Diners with serious gluten allergies should also consider Find Me Gluten Free (free, iOS and Android), which provides crowd-sourced tips on the best gluten-free restaurants and dishes in any given area: which places have a dedicated toaster for their gluten-free bagels; which ones have a special on-request menu. As with all apps that rely on user input, Find Me Gluten Free will become even more useful as more and more customers add their pointers.

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Illustration by Jesse Lefkowitz for The Wall Street Journal

Share Your Meal

Foodspotting (free, iOS and Android) is the ultimate social-media app for the food-obsessed. Devoted foodies take and post pictures of favorite dishes, which other users then mark as "wanted," "tried" or "loved." Tastemade (free, iOS; Android coming soon) takes this food-ogling artistry to the next level, with user-generated video restaurant reviews. Tastemade makes it easy (and fun) for even total filmmaking tyros to shoot and edit glossy one-minute video capsules on their phones.

Source: http://goo.gl/yX4gqX