Union Station in downtown Toronto continues to expand the roster of offerings as the transit hub transforms into a community destination for food and entertainment.
The latest tenant to be announced is a restaurant concept by the Liberty Entertainment Group called Blue Bovine, which will open in Union Station’s East Wing.
Liberty Entertainment Group, under the leadership of CEO Nick Di Donato, operates multiple entertainment and special event venues, including Casa Loma and the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex. They are also responsible for the development of BlueBlood Steakhouse, Don Alfonso 1890, Xango and three Cibo Wine Bar locations (King West, Yonge St and Yorkville), as well as a Toronto nightlife venue – Arcane.
Blue Bovine (Image: Liberty Entertainment Group)
Blue Bovine (Image: Liberty Entertainment Group)
Blue Bovine (Image: Liberty Entertainment Group)
Nick Di Donato
“Their experience with heritage sites and ability to create new and unique concepts which are appropriate for the time and fit the space, were key factors when targeting prospective tenants for this location,” shared Rademeyer. “The selection of this group aligns with the continued vision, supported by Osmington for Union Station – to celebrate local and to bring the best operators to the station.”
Nadia Di Donato
The concept is being described as an elevated steak and seafood restaurant, with the design by Nadia Di Donato.
“We are confident that this will further expand the reach of the station to draw not only from the surrounding offices and residential but importantly to create an iconic destination at Union, which will attract suburbanites especially and compel them to make that special trip to the station to experience Blue Bovine.”
Toronto Union Station (Image: Dustin Fuhs)Future Blue Bovine Location at Toronto Union Station (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
Retail Insider Media Publisher Craig Patterson described Union Station as “Canada’s busiest transit hub and it is seeing an incredible overhaul that includes a repositioning and redevelopment of its retail component which will expand to a footprint of about 170,000 square feet. The mix of retail, food and service tenants will make Union Station a draw for locals and visitors in a unique heritage building in the heart of the city. There hasn’t been a more significant retail development in downtown Toronto since CF Toronto Eaton Centre opened nearly 45 years ago.”
According to a new report, digital transformation represents a trillion dollar opportunity for the retail industry and in the face of the global pandemic, Canadian businesses experienced a new age of digital adoption unlike ever before.
Moving forward, there are many opportunities for merchants to connect backend systems and provide a seamless customer experience, as well as build customer loyalty, according to a new report released by Adyen, a leading retail end-to-end, all in one payments solution for merchants across the globe.
Some key findings of the report include:
61 per cent of merchants expect to grow by 20 per cent or more in 2022, representing a $338 million opportunity;
61 per cent of consumers believe retailers used technology well to make their products available during the pandemic:
10 per cent increase in merchants’ average performance after adopting unified commerce;
67 per cent of Canadian customers prefer to shop in-store, compared to global average of 59 per cent;
50 per cent of Canadian customers said physical stores should focus on the experience beyond the product, since they can get the products easily online;
56 per cent of customers would be more likely to use a retailer’s loyalty program if it automatically linked with their payment card;
60 per cent of consumers would be more loyal to a retailer if they could return their online items in store; and
36 per cent of Canadian customers prefer retailers who use previous shopping behaviour to serve personalized suggestions and create a more tailored shopping experience
Image: Adyen
Sander Meijers
Sander Meijers, Country Manager of Canada, Adyen, said Canadians have always liked their store experiences.
“It’s not just about going in-store for customer service, returning goods, or getting in-person help with a product that they couldn’t get online. Today, physical stores should be exciting places to visit as well. Stores must offer something more than the products and services available online to keep consumers interested and coming in, if done correctly people will come.
“Also, it’s clear in the numbers that people missed being in store during COVID. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, 41 per cent of consumers globally say they have a new appreciation for being able to touch, feel or physically try products before they buy.
“The experience of shopping in a physical post is changing. Now, the way stores are engaging with their customers is about connecting with the brand and not just buying a product. Think about Nike for example – some stores have basketball courts inside, with classes available for visitors, which allows shoppers to connect with Nike’s brand values. Lego brand stores are another great example and a personal favourite; forget walking out empty handed when you let your kids experience what’s possible with Lego in their store.”
Lego at CF Richmond Centre. Photo: Geetanjali Sharma
Meijers said the physical shopping experience is not only about allowing shoppers to connect to brand values, it’s also about providing a well-rounded end-to-end experience.
“Everything in a physical store must look and feel fitting, whether it’s a sleek payment terminal when you pay in store, or by using devices to scroll through a shopping catalog. Technology provides the opportunity for brands to make physical shopping experiences more customer friendly, allowing shoppers to connect online and at physical stores to ensure a truly seamless experience,” he said.
“For example, if a customer is shopping for an item in store and their size is not available, the store has an opportunity to offer the item from another location, all through the power of shopping online. The shopping journey presents multiple point of sale opportunities for retailers, whether in store or online. This integrated experience is what we call unified commerce – connecting e-commerce, mobile commerce, and physical commerce into one, connected, and easy to navigate shopping experience. Research shows that those who were quick to join the digital movement and implement unified commerce see growth in sales, with the average merchant performance increasing by 10 per cent. Falling short could result in the opposite: 64 per cent of Canadian consumers will not shop with organizations that have a bad shopping experience, either online or in store.”
Image: Chipotle Loyalty Rewards
Meijers said it’s important to implement loyalty programs the right way – inputting personal data is a no-go for him and many other people.
“Loyalty programs are great, but they need to offer easy opt-in and opt-out options for shoppers. The data speaks for itself – Canadians would prefer programs that require little barriers to join or utilize. Automating the experience through shopper recognition is a great way to easily engage customers,” he said.
“Using technology to remove barriers to entry can also be beneficial from a payment’s perspective, allowing customers to avoid the hassle of adding in their credit card details time and time again. In fact, 56 per cent of customers would be more likely to use a retailer’s loyalty program if it automatically linked with their payment card. Additionally, 64 per cent of Canadian customers believe retailers need to use technology to make their loyalty programs easier and more effective.”
Meijers said each store has its own policy on returns, which can be frustrating to customers when they need to return their products.
“Customers are looking for the path with least friction. They want a seamless experience where there are no barriers depending on the channel. Research shows 61 per cent of consumers would be more loyal to a retailer that allows them to buy things online and return in store, an increase of 13 per cent compared to our 2020 Retail Report research,” he said.
Image: Adyen
“Centralized payments data can be the key in this process. By leveraging payments data, brands can minimize fraud by returning to the original payment method. The same centralized data can provide the often-needed view of a full history of online and in store payments, including partial and full refunds in one overview.”
Meijers said knowing your customers and tailoring experiences to them can have a huge impact.
“Adyen has worked with a luxury brand in Europe where the payment data showed that purchases in their physical stores were mainly from Chinese credit cards. The brand used the data and introduced a Chinese assistant at the store to make their clients feel more comfortable during their shopping experience,” he explained. “Tailoring and personalizing can and will have many forms, and only with real time data will businesses be able to build these experiences.
“We are excited to see experiences unveiled in the coming years. Today, 36 per cent of Canadian customers prefer retailers who offer them personalized suggestions, or a tailored shopping experience. Adyen provides that personalized experience to retailers through its payment platforms, allowing brands to accept all payments everywhere, rather than being confined to a payment’s terminal.”
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past 24 hours.
“Food inflation numbers are telling us several stories. In sum though, if you were to compare the current inflationary cycle to a baseball game, we’re in the 7th inning stretch.”
Statistics Canada is reminding Canadians every month how painful their trips to the grocery store have been recently. The retail inflation rate is still at an astonishing 9.9%, its highest point since 1981. In fact, our food inflation rate has exceeded the general rate since December of last year, which is why food prices are on everyone’s mind. Allegations of “greedflation” are rampant, accusing the industry of gouging consumers who are stressed by an increasingly higher cost of living. We are seeing signs, though, that things are improving, and calmer seas are ahead of us as we enter the fall season.
Food inflation is often about context. Back in July 1978, while the inflation rate was at 9.4%, food prices were increasing year-to-year by a whopping 20.2%. That is by far the largest difference we have seen in the last 50 years. Things were out of control. Our current situation is nowhere near what it was in 1978. In the United States, food inflation right now at grocery stores is above 13%. The United Kingdom’s food inflation rate in July was 12.7%, again much higher than Canada’s.
The good news is that our food inflation appears to have peaked, or at least it’s under control, for now. Since April, our food inflation rate overall, which is now 9.2% with both retail and service combined, has not reached 10% yet. The highest month-to-month jump this year was indeed in January at 1.4%. That was the highest month-to-month jump since 2016. In June, it was 0.1%. July, however, saw another jump at 0.9%. But since 2011, we have seen month-to-month increases exceeding 0.9% a total of 12 times. The bottom line is that the numbers are telling us that extreme volatility affecting food prices may be behind us. The impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on commodity prices which triggered a new inflationary cycle has now been mostly absorbed by food supply chains. Commodity prices peaked on May 17and have dropped significantly ever since.
Supply chains are also dealing with more predictable conditions related to COVID protocols. As governments continue to keep people safe, COVID-related rules and conditions are much more foreseeable, which is really helping the food industry, both service and retail. As consumers, we should expect more rebates, discounted products, and loss leaders. It’s easier to offer deals when market conditions are more stable. Consecutive lock downs, implemented last-minute, took their toll and made life a nightmare for many in the food industry.
There are, however, some trouble spots at the grocery store. The first one is dairy. The Canadian Dairy Commission has recommended a second unprecedented increase of 2.5%, which will start on September 1. Dairy farmers are getting 11% more for their milk and butterfat since February. It’s great for our farmers, but retail prices in the dairy section have skyrocketed. Since February, according to BetterCart Analytics, fluid milk prices have increased by about 25%. Yogurt, cheese, sour cream, and ice cream are all much higher since February, and we are expecting another jump in the weeks to come, as kids go back to school. It couldn’t happen at a worse time.
In essence, with record-breaking increases this year, dairy is literally pricing itself out of the market, and some dairy processors are adjusting. Lactalis, the largest milk buyer in the country, recently converted its Sudbury-based plant and will now solely manufacture plant-based products. This points to where the market is going. While dairy farmers want more money, what seems to be underappreciated is that we will lose more farms due to an anemic demand for more expensive dairy products.
Bakery goods are also another category in which we have seen higher prices. For many years, bakery goods were a non-story. This year, with more consolidation in processing, it was expected to see higher prices. Typically, the correlation between commodity and retail prices is weak, but this year’s market conditions with grain scarcity has made access to some ingredients challenging. Many food verticals have been impacted by procurement issues. Quite the year. Canada’s Food Price Report in December did predict higher bakery and dairy prices, so it’s not necessarily a surprise.
If you were to compare the current inflationary cycle to a baseball game, we’re in the 7th inning stretch. We also learned last week from Statistics Canada that grocery store sales dropped 3% since January, so the market is tightening. More consumers are visiting non-traditional grocers like Walmart or Costco, or even dollar stores to make ends meet. The days when people flocked to grocery stores at the beginning of the pandemic are long gone. Food sales are earned, more than ever. A sign of the times.
International real estate company Aoyuan International has launched its first Toronto development – a master-planned community in the culturally-diverse neighbourhood of Newtonbrook which will be home to a new H Mart, a Korean-American supermarket.
The 8.6 acre Newtonbrook Plaza site at Yonge and Finch in Toronto will be transformed into Aoyuan’s largest master-planned community in Canada called M2M. Plans include five residential condo towers, 180,000 square feet of office and retail, a daycare and community centre.
Cherie Chan
Cherie Chan, Senior Manager, Branding and Marketing, with Aoyuan in Canada, said the supermarket will be 36,000 square feet, fronting at 5803 Yonge Street and the flagship store will include produce, seafood, meat departments, beauty and cosmetic, and a mini food hall with a bakery.
She said the first phase of the project is planned for completion by 2023. H Mart is expected to open Spring 2024.
H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)
H Mart, which will be operated by Hanahreum Group, is recognized as one of the top 100 Progressive Grocers in 2020 and is recognized as one of the fastest growing retailers in the National Retail Federation’s HOT 100 RETAILERS (#13 HMart), added Chan.
“In the GTA, particularly North York area, represents the main proud feature of Canada, multi-ethnic, and multi-cultural communities – ever growing rapidly,” shared Do Jun Hwang, CEO, H Mart. “However, despite many attempts by various supermarkets, there has not been a high-end supermarket with satisfactory quality, diversity and service which would satisfy the community. H-MART and the M2M will become a landmark known for the supreme living.”
H Mart is the largest Asian American grocery store chain with 97 locations in the U.S., 17 locations in Canada, and three locations in the U.K. In Canada, H Mart has locations in British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta. In the GTA, H mart currently has two locations in Downtown Toronto, one in Richmond Hill, and four locations in North York; with the plan to open two new stores in GTA including M2M, bringing its total count to 20 locations across Canada, added Chan.
M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)
Fan Yang
“Aoyuan develops homes that encourage active lifestyles and wellness for our residents, and the wider community; and that includes having access to healthy food and grocery options for everyone in the neighbourhood. We’re trilled to partner with H Mart and having them as the anchor tenant at M2M.” shared Fan Yang, General Manager, Aoyuan Canada.
Chan said H-Mart clearly understands Toronto has a fast-growing multicultural population, while providing a broad range of Asian foods, they also carry international and western groceries to better serve the local community. H Mart is also famous for its foodie-attracting food halls, which offer various restaurants serving up delicious cuisines.
“H Mart is quite familiar in this space . . . First of all, they are one of the largest Korean-American supermarket chains. They’re well-known not only in the Asian community but anywhere they operate. So we’re really happy to have them as the anchor tenant for M2M. We have been working very closely with them,” she said. “We’re inspired to create a welcome environment and a fulfilling shopping experience for our residents and for the surrounding neighbourhood.
H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)
Chan said the three-phased development of M2M will include about 1,750 residential units.
“It’s a very mixed neighbourhood that we have . . . It’s like a little bit of everything . . . For us, the development is not only about building buildings, it’s really about encouraging an active lifestyle and part of how we can make it accessible for our residents and our neighbourhood is a healthy food and grocery option which having H Mart as a partner really completes M2M.”
Chan said H Mart is part of the first phase of the development. In the second and third phases, another 30,000 square feet of retail will be created with possibilities including a pharmacy, a bank and food and entertainment.
H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)H Mart at M2M (Image: Aoyuan Canada)
Retailer RW&CO. is launching its Thyme Maternity label this Fall, effectively expanding its style offering and integrating Reitmans (Canada) Limited’s expertise in the maternity market segment.
Michele Slepekis, Vice-president of Marketing and E-Commerce at RW&CO, said the collection within RW&CO. is comprised of stylish, versatile and functional pieces for consumers to feel confident during and after their pregnancy.
“The collection is inspired by RW&CO.’s signature “polished cool” look and is there to complete the journey of our expectant customer. As a brand, we are always trying to equip our clients with fashions that suit their everyday lifestyle ranging from workwear, to everyday wear, loungewear and more,” she said.
“We added the maternity segment this fall to continue our work of extending our offer and position RW&CO. as a prime destination to suit and uplift our community’s ever-evolving style. The Thyme Maternity collection is for our customer who’s looking for stylish, classic casual and workwear staples to feel confident and comfortable during her pregnancy without sacrificing style.”
She said 17 selected stores from coast to coast will carry the Thyme Maternity collection in September and the retailer created a dedicated area in the stores for it.
Image: Thyme MaternityRW&CO at CF Toronto Eaton Centre will be a future home to the Thyme Maternity collection (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
There are currently 77 RW&CO locations.
Patricia Robichaud
Patricia Robichaud, Senior Advisor, Corporate Communications for Reitmans (Canada) which operates RW&CO, said Reitmans (Canada) Limited entered the Companies’ Creditor Arrangement Act (CCAA) on May 19, 2020 in order to restructure the company and modify work methods and processes.
“We were forced to close two beloved brands, Thyme Maternity and Addition Elle, and we made the painful decision to let go many dedicated and hard-working employees. The Thyme Maternity transactional website and all its stores closed in August 2020. On January 12, 2022, RCL exited CCAA, confident that our brands Reitmans, Penningtons and RW&CO. would flourish,” she said.
Image: Thyme Maternity PHOTO: FORMER THYME MATERNITY LOCATION
With approximately 350,000 babies born annually in Canada, RW&CO. is primed to become a leading shopping destination for expectant people, said the retailer.
The Thyme Maternity collection is available online at rw-co.com and in select RW&CO. stores across Canada in September.
Reitmans operates 404 stores consisting of 236 Reitmans, 91 Penningtons and 77 RW&CO.
Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia, a local gift shop, is celebrating 42 years in Halifax and because of locals, the retailer has survived the pandemic and continues to thrive.
Located at 5635 Spring Garden Road, the gift shop products are all locally made and the retailer will continue to grow its maritime collection which currently includes 256 local suppliers.
“We always have new local products coming in. The items we carry includes handmade pottery, knit wear, wools, glass, there is a lot of glass that we carry. There are also all kinds of edible products, like maple syrup, jams, saltwater toffee, and more,” says Kurt Bulger the owner of Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia.
Originally the shop was located near Peggy’s Cove, but two years after opening it moved to Spring Garden Road in Halifax and has been there for 40 years now. In terms of popular products, they “get a lot of hits on their saltwater toffee,” says Bulger. Customers can find a selection of products including pottery, gift sets, candles, home décor, jewelry, books, food, apparel for the whole family, and maritime keepsakes.
Roadblocks and Obstacles
Image: Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia Image: Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia
Kurt Bulger
Due to the travel restrictions during the pandemic, the business along with others lost their tourism income. However, Bulger learned the East Coast locals really had his back. Bulger said 70 percent of their customers are local buyers and 30 percent are tourist, so during the pandemic they were only seeing about 65 percent of that with no tourist in town.
“That just proves the locals have been supporting us,” says Bulger
On top of the struggles that already came with the pandemic, last summer the city decided to close the street for construction, making it an additional obstacle to bring in customers. And now, Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia is hoping to have a normal wave of both local and tourism customers; however, they will possibly be facing another issue down the road as the city is looking to make Spring Garden Road only accessible for transit, biking, and walking.
“There is nothing we can do, there is no doubt we will survive but it is just how much we thrive. We have an online store to reach out but there is nothing we can do to get the customer here anymore than we can,” says Bulger. “It is 42 years of our reputation, we will see if the customer will continue to find a way to us even though the city is making it more and more difficult by taking out parking, putting in bike lanes, and restricting where you can drive.”
First Summer of Tourism
Image: Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia
Image: Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia
Image: Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia
As this is the first summer of no restrictions for travel, Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia is trying to prepare by hiring more staff, a task that is becoming difficult.
“We have been trying to hire staff now for the last six months and it has been hard,” says Bulger. “We usually function with about 13 employees, but now we are functioning with 7. It has been a lot of work and we are trying to get staffed up again, but it has been difficult.”
Even with the obstacles this store has faced, they are excited to welcome in the wave of tourists and are hoping locals will continue to support them.
“The purchases from the locals kept us going through the pandemic. So, God bless the locals,” says Bulger. “It is now a strategy of ours to try and become more of a Nova Scotia giftshop, not just a tourism shop. We will just continue what we have been doing happily for the last 42 years and continue to grow.”
Making Retail Stores Accessible: Retail Council Canada Releases New Guidebook Accessibility Amid A Changing Retail Landscape and launches New Webinars on Mental Health in Retail Operations
The increase in digitization of retail throughout the pandemic has made accessing retail harder for Canadians with disabilities, including the growing population of older Canadians who will increasingly face accessibility challenges. People living with disabilities can struggle to interact with mainstream retail infrastructures and are sometimes met with attitudes that are unknowingly insensitive to their situations.
This free 28-page guidebook, available for download on RCC’s website under its Accessibility section, serves as an invaluable resource to retailers by offering critical information and insights to support the creation and maintenance of accessible digital and physical stores. It is available in French and English.
The need for retailers to address their stores’ accessibility challenges, and to understand opportunities for improvements, is illustrated in the following statistics:
30% of Canadians consider accessibility when looking for a place to shop or do business. Source: Rick Hansen Foundation
9.1 million people in Canada have a recognized disability. Source: The Global Economics of Disability
$82.2 billion is the cumulative annual disposable income among Canadians with disabilities Source: The Global Economics of Disability
“While retailers have done an amazing job throughout the pandemic of diversifying how the general population can shop, especially through the many new digital options available, there continue to be opportunities to improve accessibility for people with disabilities,” said Marcie Wenn, Manager, Education at Retail Council of Canada. “And, as the average age of Canada’s population increases, so too will the number of individuals who are living with disabilities. When retailers make enhancements to their digital and physical stores to create greater accessibility, they directly meet the needs of those with disabilities, and build stronger loyalties with the people who support those with disabilities. Retailers that make these accommodations positively differentiate their retail experiences for all customers.
RCC, with generous support from the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility, has developed this free resource to help retailers better understand how accessibility barriers impacts their customers and business’ success.
Accessible customer service: What retailers can do to ensure that all customers are served properly, including wording, and speaking with compassion;
People with vision and hearing disabilities: How retail can support and ensure comfortable spaces;
People with physical disabilities: What tools can aid customers;
Online store accessibility: Accessible website guidelines, assistive technology, accessible digital content images to ensure a comfortable online experience;
Guide dogs and other service animals: Protocols and assistance for retailers;
Accessibility and store design: How to make retail spaces more welcoming and usable;
Overcoming building type restrictions: 10 simple things retailers can do to make their stores accessible, regardless of the type of building in which they operate.
To complement the teachings within the Accessibility Amid a Changing Retail Landscape guidebook, RCC is hosting two webinars in September (simultaneous translation in French will be offered) that is open to everyone who wants to learn more about building mental health into retail operations.
Aisle 24, a fully-automated, 24/7 cashier-less grocery chain based in Toronto, has opened its newest location in Toronto, featuring a sophisticated, integrated security solution to safeguard customers and enable franchise owners to manage their operations remotely.
The new system includes surveillance coverage, custom access control, remote control, and analytics designed to assist staff in inventory management and other business operations and it will help power the company’s expansion plans in Canada.
John Douang
“These are hyper-urban grocery stores, and—given today’s busy lifestyle—people appreciate having this kind of safe and secure convenience in their neighbourhood or right in the building where they live,” said John Douang, co-founder and CEO of Aisle 24. “By emphasizing safety and security while accumulating business intelligence, we’re offering franchise owners the ability to monetize empty space and build a profitable business that places far fewer demands on their time than running a traditional grocery store.”
Currently, Aisle 24 has 16 locations in Ontario and Quebec, with plans to launch at least 40 more stores in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, and Halifax by the end of the year. In the future, Aisle 24 plans to continue expanding its 24/7, cashier-less grocery stores across Canada, as well as the United States, South America, and parts of Europe and Asia.
Aisle 24 Market at Liberty Village (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“We partnered with Axis in early 2021 for our first community stores. It was very important for us to look for a technology partner that had multiple solutions but also had an open platform for us to customize and integrate with our own systems. We worked with probably two or three other security system manufacturers in the past and found there was always limiting factors which is why we moved to Axis.
“They are the leaders in the industry and they were very helpful at the beginning to really spend a lot of time to understand our business so that they can help provide the best solutions for us.”
Aisle 24 began in 2016 with its first location at Centennial College in Toronto.
“We have several more opening in the next several weeks,” added Duoang. “We have a bunch that are in construction and likely to launch around the September timeframe. We’re pushing for September launches.
Aisle 24 on Richmond Street in Downtown Toronto (Image: Dustin Fuhs)
“One of the key things for our business is we want to bring the convenience to the customer. So we will always position our stores in a highly dense area that contains a lot of residential. So condos and apartment buildings make a lot of sense for us. We always look at vertical density rather than horizontal density like single-detached homes is not our forte. We like to be somewhere more dense.
“Demographic wise we definitely are targeting the Gen Z and the Millennials but we do see a very broad range of our customer base across all demographics.”
Aisle 24 has partnered with Smart Installs Inc., a Toronto-based customer security solutions provider and Axis Communications integrator partner, for their assistance. Axis provided video surveillance and audio technology, as well as 2N audio/video intercoms – all streaming to an AI-enabled video management system. Together, they created an integrated surveillance solution, customizable access control through a mobile app, and analytics designed to reduce shrink, streamline inventory management, analyze point-of-sale data, and optimize each store’s product mix for maximum sell-through.
Entering an Aisle 24 store is completely touchless. Customers can open the app on their smartphone as they approach the Bluetooth-enabled 2N intercom at the store door, which then displays an UNLOCK message and releases the door. Once inside, they can load their cart and then self-checkout at the register kiosk.
Aisle 24 Market in River City 4 (Photo by Dustin Fuhs)
Jason Chiu, Professional Services Group Manager for Canada for Axis, said Axis is a manufacturer of the Internet of Things devices. It began in the security world by making security cameras but it quickly branched out to many other related technologies.
Jason Chiu
“Aisle 24 is one of those customers that is not only using our devices and our solutions for only security but also for other areas of their business,” said Chiu.
“So basically they’re employing several of our technologies into their stores to help them become unattended and unmanned. We’re protecting their stores from the perspective of security but also a little bit of retail intelligence and basically monitoring what goes on in these stores that are unmanned.”
Chiu said many large retailers use Axis technology.
Keith D’Sa
Keith D’sa, Country Manager, Axis Communications, said integrated solutions is key to providing dynamic levels of safety and security, while bolstering overall business intelligence, as we enter a new era of streamlined retail experiences, investing in state-of-the-art.
“With the confluence of applications and uses that today’s security technology provides, our goal is to keep customers and assets secure, while also allowing Aisle 24 to leverage data to inform day-to-day and long-term business strategies,” he said.
Ken Oki, Managing Director for Smart Installs, said it recommended Axis and 2N technology because they’re built on an open platform, which allows for deep third-party integration.
Ken Oki
“That was important for Aisle 24 since it gives them a wider range of options for current and future customization,” he said.
Axis was founded in 1984, and the headquarters are in Lund, Sweden.
“In retail we’re already a very large player when it comes to security but I think what’s exciting for us in the context of Aisle 24 our technology is not only serving up the security and sort of the forensic piece of security after something happens, but they’re actually employing our technology as a key feature in their store to allow it to be cashier less and unmanned,” said Chiu.
“For example, the intercoms that automatically let people in using the app on their phone, our monitoring the inside of the store, how we’re able to use our speakers in the store also to broadcast advertising or music or whatever the case may be. They’re leveraging a lot of the technologies that Axis offers and it’s beyond security.”
Retail Insider is streamlining its Canadian retail news from around the web to include a handful of top news stories that can be viewed quickly during the day. Here are the top stories from the past several days.
