Amazon Just Walk Out Tech Rival Trigo Partners With Wakefern

Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S., has partnered with Trigo, an Israel-based computer vision and frictionless checkout technology provider, to pilot an autonomous supermarket making use of Trigo’s AI-based frictionless checkout technology.

Wakefern, the logistics, distribution and merchandising arm for ShopRite stores, is comprised of nearly 50 member companies that independently own and operate close to 360 retail supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market banners.

“With Trigo’s frictionless technology, Wakefern Food Corp. is opening up access to cutting-edge innovation for our members,” said Charlie McWeeney, Wakefern’s VP of technology, innovation and strategy, in a statement. “We are excited to pilot Trigo’s solution and offer our consumers the ultimate in checkout convenience.”

While the pilot, at an as-yet-to-be named Wakefern banner in New Jersey, represents Trigo’s U.S. debut, the company has launched its frictionless checkout technology with some of Europe’s leading grocers, including the U.K.’s Tesco as well as Germany’s Rewe, Aldi Nord and Netto, owned by The EDEKA Group.

“Trigo transforms existing supermarkets and grocers into fully autonomous, digital stores, combining their technology with Trigo computer vision to create a seamless shopping experience,” the company said. Applying Trigo’s GDPR compliant technology to various locations will allow retailers to scale their business while maintaining their unique character and layout, it adds.

At grocery stores featuring the Trigo technology, shoppers use an app to scan a QR code as they enter, and then are free to pick up items and leave without having to check out, in much the same way Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology functions in Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go locations.

“Trigo is proud to work with some of the largest grocery retailers around the world, so partnering with Wakefern Food Corp., was a natural step for the company,” said Michael Gabay, Trigo co-founder and CEO. “By helping Wakefern convert some store formats, or develop new ones that are exclusive to their brands, we can help them accelerate their growth within the market and pave the way for frictionless shopping in the future.”

Using AI and algorithmics experts, Trigo’s advanced retail automation platform identifies customers’ shopping items to create a seamless checkout process. Trigo works closely with retailers to convert their existing stores while maintaining their unique character and layout and leveraging their physical grocery scale to roll out next-generation offerings securely, says the company.

Powered by its proprietary 3D engine, Trigo offers grocery retailers a range of additional solutions called StoreOS, including predictive inventory management, pricing optimization, security and fraud prevention, planogram compliance, and event-driven marketing.

Wakefern Food Corp. operates banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.