Not a single link can be weak

Robots in the warehouse

One of the novelties in the field of warehousing is on-demand service: this is great for companies that don’t wish to invest in building their own warehouse, but temporarily need storage space. Flexe connects them with those companies that have free warehouse space available. Mobile robots can increase the efficiency and accuracy of preparing orders for delivery, e.g. a robot called Chuck by 6 River System is a good example of this. Automated guided vehicles (AGV) can also be of great help in a warehouse, for instance Dynamo by Adverb Technologies.

Self-driving cars and intelligent software

Logistics is an essential part of supply chains and the biggest innovations in this domain are related to the Internet of Things (IoT). Fleetroot in the United Arab Emirates gives assistance in fleet management via an IoT platform, monitoring vehicle performance and notifying the system if something isn’t working optimally. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also playing a bigger role in supply chains than before. Insite, a strart-up from New Zealand offers AI-based software that forecasts prices and demand, and optimises processes mainly in CPGs and the retail industry. Self-driving cars are also spreading fast in the world of logistics – one of these is SpringX1 by German start-up Spring, the strength of which is its well-planned and intelligent system.

Smart contracts

Blockhain technology provides security, traceability and transparency in the supply chain. US company Steamchain developed a blockchain platform that simplifies payment processes for those using the World Trade Logistics (WTL) smart contract system. WTL’s smart contracts make B2B payments possible, prevent fraud and reduce the costs arising from currency exchange.

New type in-store experiences

One of the top retail trends in 2020 is online stores turning up in offline spaces. The first brick-and-mortar Amazon Fresh grocery store opened in September. Amazon’s innovation offers the simplicity of online buying in a physical store: customers order what they need from their homes and pick it up later at one of the collection points. As many people are now buying online, augmented reality (AR) technology can be the bridge that connects the digital and physical spaces. IKEA, Home Depot and Target have been using an AR-based retail method for years, and last year Spotify launched Shopify AR for enterprises that wish to present their products to customers with the help of an AR experience.

Consumer data: A path from uncertainty to consciousness

Data security is a very sensitive issue in the consumer world: if shoppers don’t trust the way a company manages their data, they move on instantly. Now that using digital technology is an everyday thing for consumers, businesses can easily strengthen their relationship with them, but at the same time safe data management is quite a burden for these firms. According to a recent survey by McKinsey in North America, consumers are increasingly conscious about what kind of data they share with whom, and none of the companies scored higher than 50 percent in terms data sharing trust.

Ice cream for a smile

Interactive digital food and drink vending machines are more and more widely used in the FMCG sector. These raise shopper attention and convince them to share their personal data with the company. Unilever’s ice cream brand Wall uses Share Happy vending machines with a face recognition feature to collect consumer data: if the consumer smiles when standing in front of it, the machine analyses how happy they are and takes a snapshot if the consumer allows it, which is uploaded to Facebook. Then the customer gets to choose an ice cream. //

Italian brand Wudy arrives to Hungary!

Jens Hillebrand
managing director
Trade Group Europe

Since 1985 Wudy has been a popular and market leader chicken and turkey meat hot dog brand in Italy – and in several other European countries too. The Classic version is available in more sizes, while the cheese- and ketchup-filled variants are simply irresistible! Wudy is a brand of Agricola Italiana Alimentare (AIA), a leading Italian fresh and processed poultry company. //