Alimentation Couche-Tard’s Circle K is teaming up with Mastercard to pilot a rollout of timely frictionless checkout solutions designed for convenience stores and other retailers.
While frictionless retail experiences have been gaining momentum in recent years, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the retail section and its customers are speeding up the adaptation of technology solutions to reduce touchpoints and time spent in stores.
In October. Circle K’s Shop Anywhere pilot will launch at-the-pump and in-store frictionless experiences for its consumers, enabling them to efficiently grab-and-go snacks and drinks at select locations in Canada and the United States.
Through robust inventory and participating shopper analytics Mastercard’s platform is designed to improve and speed up the in-store experience by eliminating points of friction. In other words, no line ups, no waiting and the introduction of secure payments.
For instance, shoppers will be able to grab-and-go at select Circle K locations and never have to engage in face-to-face interactions. In addition, consumers can receive personalized offers based on historical purchasing trends. On the foodservice side, these means shoppers can place an order without waiting in line for staff to take that order, enabling staff to focus on order fulfillment.
Shop Anywhere can also give shoppers access to stores outside of normal opening hours if selected by the retailer, in addition to unique and exclusive merchandise.(Dunkin’ and White Castle in the U.S. are also piloting the platform).
According to Mastercard’s Recovery Insights: Shift to Digital report, in-person shopping remains a draw, though consumers are seeking offerings that bridge the physical and digital to streamline the overall experience. In August, Mastercard unveiled its new suite of frictionless solutions for retailers to reimagine their physical shopping experience.
“As retailers and consumers navigate through one of the most disruptive periods in modern history, it’s clear that traditional business operations will need to evolve quickly,” Stephane Wyper, senior vice president, retail innovation, Mastercard, said in a release. “We’re committed to supporting our retail partners as they look to meet the unforeseen challenges posed by this new normal and provide their customers with a more digitally enabled, touchless and secure retail experience.”
The Shop Anywhere platform is supported by AI and computer vision technology partner Accel Robotics.
“We are thrilled to partner with Mastercard to help retailers deliver a new world of convenience,” said Accel Robotics CEO Brandon Maseda. “Through the Shop Anywhere platform, we are helping shorten the distance between shoppers and satisfaction.”
Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard, which has a network of 14,500 stores, including 9,414 stores in North America; 2,710 stores in Europe, including Scandinavia, Baltics, Poland, Russia and Ireland; and licensing agreements for approximately 2,350 stores operated under the Circle K banner in 15 other countries and territories.
Convenience Store News Canada is pleased to partner with 
“In taking the Star Women in Convenience celebration online to keep attendees safe during the pandemic, we were looking for a way to make a meaningful contribution to honour our winners,” says CSNC editor Michelle Warren. “The convenience industry is an important partner for Food Banks Canada, which supports communities across the country. Now, more than ever, it’s a time for those who are able to give back.”
Calgary-based Parkland Corporation will acquire the license for the exclusive use of the On the Run trademark in the majority of U.S. states. The deal includes an option to purchase the On the Run U.S. trademark together with the license owner’s On the Run franchise business. 
Online grocery delivery service Inabuggy is continuing its aggressive product rollout with the addition of a “hyperlocal” offering called Inabuggy-Mart. It joins existing Inabuggy services spanning traditional and specialty grocery stores, foodservice providers and alcohol retailers.
DE: Timing is everything. I joined officially in September of 2018, and cannabis became legal in Canada in October. However, Canada did what countries always do with initiative like this, they forgot about the supply chain. All of the regulations are around what a manufacturer-producer can do, and about what a retailer can do, but what happens in the middle? What we quickly found was that our expertise handling, managing and shipping, high value, highly regulated product was very well developed, because of what we do with cigarettes and tobacco. We developed a very extensive set of best practices and procedures, specific to that product—this is what you need to manage, and secure, and protect, and stay within the laws and guidelines of getting your product from point A to point B.
Parkland Fuel Corp. plans to expand its Canadian On the Run convenience store brand across the United States after acquiring the licence in most states.
Parkland acquired the On the Run brand and franchise network in Canada from Imperial Oil in 2016 and has 300 of them in 1,849 gas stations operating under various brands including Ultramar and Pioneer.
social distancing.
=Alimentation Couche-Tard continues to be on the hunt for acquisitions even as it claims convenience store rival 7-Eleven’s blockbuster US$21-billion acquisition of the Speedway network in the U.S. doesn’t make sense.
The announcement of the closure came via social media on August 27, after rumours started swirling when neighbours noticed the building’s iconic signage coming down. Many feared The Pumps, as it’s known locally, was a victim of pandemic-related closures.
In a social media post commemorating their last day at the old location, the brothers said: “When we opened almost a decade ago, we were so excited to open the shop and start our culinary adventure. Little did we know that at the end of today would be the first day we’ve had to lock the door. Running a 24/7 business has been thrilling and unforgettable. To be part of the daily rituals of the early risers and night dwellers in Leslieville, we’ve created friendships that will surely follow us a few doors down to our new location.”
“With 10 new stores set to open and additional locations in the pipeline, we are thrilled to announce this milestone and excited to bring the Tokyo Smoke and Tweed guest experiences to Alberta for the first time,” Grant Caton, general manager Canopy Growth, said in a statement. “We’ve seen the value brick-and-mortar retail brings to our consumers – welcoming new guests to learn about cannabis and building relationships in new communities – and we’re excited to share our knowledge and industry leadership across the region.”
