Sponsored By

eMeals integrates meal planning service with Albertsons Cos. stores

Subscribers now have direct access to most national grocery retailers

Russell Redman

October 2, 2020

2 Min Read
Albertsons_mainstream_store-exterior.jpg
Through the integration with Albertsons Cos., eMeals users can shop for preplanned meals in its app and send their orders directly to the retailer’s stores for fulfillment and pickup or delivery.Albertsons

Digital meal planning service eMeals has expanded its online grocery retail coverage to Albertsons Cos. supermarkets, including Safeway.

Birmingham, Ala.-based eMeals said the integration with Albertsons Cos. extends direct access to its service from most of the major national grocery retailers. Through the integrations, eMeals users get a seamless experience in which they can pick their meals and send them directly to the retailer’s stores for fulfillment and pickup or delivery in one app. Other eMeals integration partners include Kroger, Walmart grocery, Amazon Fresh, and retailers served by Instacart and Shipt.

“eMeals has been at the forefront of the online grocery trend since our first integrations nearly three years ago, and we’ve continued to build out our retailer base to provide the broadest possible choice and coverage for consumers,” eMeals CEO Forrest Collier said in a statement. “These new integrations extend the eMeals benefits to Albertsons and Safeway shoppers in all 34 states where they operate, providing both meal inspiration and seamless online grocery ordering in a single, easy-to-use platform.”

eMeals_meal_planning_service-mobile_app.png

eMeals' menu of 15 food-style meal plans includes Quick and Healthy, Keto, Clean Eating, Low Calorie, Low Carb, Kid Friendly and Vegetarian options.

Connecting consumers and food brands to retailers, the eMeals curated meal plan service gives subscribers access to 15 meals, each with new weekly dinner ideas that can be mixed and matched from plan to plan. Based on the chosen meal options, the eMeals app automatically generates a grocery list of the needed ingredients that can be shopped in-store or, with one click, sent for pickup or delivery by one of the integrated grocery retailers.

Related:ShopRite stacks more options in rebranded deli mobile app

The menu of 15 food-style meal plans includes Quick and Healthy, Keto, Clean Eating, Low Calorie, Low Carb, Kid Friendly and Vegetarian options. eMeals subscribers can choose meals from the weekly suggestions or from past recipe favorites. Lunch and breakfast plans are available as well. Users also can sync devices with other family members to select, shop and cook meals.

eMeals noted that the addition of Albertsons Cos.’ more than 2,250 stores comes amid a surge in online grocery usage during the COVID-19 pandemic, which the meal planning company said has accelerated overall adoption of grocery e-commerce services by three to five years. Reflecting that growth, the number of eMeals users during their initial trial has risen to 46%, eMeals reported. The company offers a free 14-day trial.

eMeals costs $9.99 per month for a three-month subscription and $4.99 per month for a 12-month subscription. The company said its service provides an average savings of two hours per week and $2,000 per year in grocery spending.

Related:Family meals take on renewed value amid pandemic

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

Stay up-to-date on the latest food retail news and trends
Subscribe to free eNewsletters from Supermarket News