Grocery tech companies Mercatus Technologies and Stor.ai to merge

Relationshop, a provider of digital engagement solutions for supermarkets and other retail chains, announced today that it has finalized a merger between two leading providers of ecommerce solutions for regional grocers and independents: Mercatus Technologies, based in Toronto, and Stor.ai, operating out of Tel Aviv. The newly merged company will be called Mercatus and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Relationshop Inc.

The merger combines Mercatus’ ecommerce platform with Relationshop’s focus on unifying first-party data and powering personalized digital engagement. This transaction comes on the heels of Relationshop acquiring Stor.ai, an ecommerce solution for independent grocers, in January 2023. According to a release, the combined capabilities of all three companies aims to create a connected commerce ecosystem with robust shopper engagement, personalization and loyalty solutions scaled for retailers of all sizes in North America, Europe and the Middle East.

The company’s client base now extends across more countries and continents with over 1,800 regional grocery chain stores in the United States and more than 400 independent grocery stores globally, including locations in the United Kingdom, France and Canada. Noteworthy supermarket customers include Albertsons, United Supermarkets, Big Y Foods, Buehler’s Fresh Foods, Carrefour, East of England COOP and Vallarta Supermarkets. The roster also features Stater Brothers Markets, Winn Dixie, Weis Markets, Harvey’s Supermarkets, WinCo Foods, Strack & Van Til, and C&S Wholesale’s Piggly Wiggly Midwest, among others. Additionally, the company has a commanding presence in the Israeli market, representing 90% of grocers that manage their own first-party eCommerce platforms.

With the merger, several Mercatus executives will take on key roles within the expanded organization. Sylvain Perrier, newly appointed president of North America and global COO, said, “Mercatus has been at the forefront of serving the digital commerce needs of regional grocers and supermarkets for over 15 years. This merger increases our capability to deliver unprecedented value to our clients by combining our proven technology and eCommerce expertise with the innovative shopper engagement and personalization solutions from Relationshop.”

Galen Walters, a visionary leader, founder and CEO of Relationshop with five decades of grocery retail experience, will serve as the new CEO of Mercatus.

“The senior leadership team at Mercatus, backed by our board, is wholeheartedly devoted to advancing the connected commerce requirements of grocery retailers,” he said. “Grocery retailers need flexible, automated solutions capable of addressing the competitive threat posed by national chains and the loss of control that comes from relying on third-party delivery providers. As we look to the future, we are excited to join forces, enhancing our offerings to uniquely satisfy the evolving demands of supermarkets and our customers worldwide.”

Piper Sandler and Solomon Partners acted as financial advisors to Relationshop and Mercatus, respectively. Details of the transaction are undisclosed.