Microsoft partners with second largest grocery chain in the United States to repel Amazon

The computer giant, Microsoft, is teaming with Albertsons, the second-largest grocery chain in the United States, to set up a "friction-free" shopping experience for its customers. The deal comes as Amazon is increasingly interested in the grocery sector, which acquired Whole Foods in 2017 and plans to open thousands of Amazon Go stores across the country.

The partnership will bring Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 to Albertsons stores, which according to Albertsons Companies vice president and chief information officer, Anuj Dhanda, will enable it to "transform the customer experience in our stores digitally, using "cognitive technologies, artificial intelligence and applied data science on the scale. "

According to Microsoft, the goal is "to eliminate customer friction at the grocery store," making it easier to search for articles and reducing waiting times, while helping Store employees track their inventory and anticipate when they may need additional inventory.

Albertsons is working to expand its technology offering and both companies say the partnership has already paid off. Its e-commerce platform is now running on Microsoft Azure, and last year, Albertsons deployed a "one-touch" application for its service stations (running on Azure), which allows drivers to get to a pump at the same time. gasoline and refuel by paying with a mobile device. The technology is currently used in 27 stores and the company announced that it would expand the pilot project to more this year. Microsoft says that Albertsons will use its data science to also improve its supply chain and logistics.

Microsoft has made several breakthroughs in the grocery and retail market over the past year. Last July, the group partnered with Walmart for a five-year contract to integrate Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 with the retail giant. In January, he formed a partnership with Kroeger, the largest grocery chain in the United States, for high-tech grocery stores in Ohio and Washington using panels and applications. to enable customers to find items quickly.