Co-op News - February 2020

Some of Europe’s largest retailers are funding tech
projects to address the needs of customers. From
joint ventures to discover and develop start-ups,
to digital business opportunities, here are some
examples from retailers in Sweden and Italy.
COOP SWEDEN
Retail innovation in Sweden does not begin and
end with do-it-yourself furniture. As technology
transforms the retail landscape, a Swedish co-op
retailer is looking for new ways to make the most of
the nation’s tech powerhouse status.
Dating back to 1918, Coop Sweden is today at the
forefront of food retail innovation. In recent years,
it has embarked on a digitisation mission with the
aim of using tech to benefit its 3.5 million members.
New initiatives include using software to create
better store offerings, based on local shopper
requirements, in order to reduce waste.
In September Coop Sweden launched a new
digital unit to develop the business opportunities
through digitisation. It is also launching an
innovation team.
Jessica Wolf, senior strategic business developer,
says the retailer is driven by the vision to be “the
force for good in the food sector”. This includes
ensuring data and tech are optimised for people
and the planet.
Coop Sweden realised early on that embarking
on a digitisation journey required working in
partnership with others, she adds. “We knew we
could not innovate enough for consumers and
our planet on our own. We needed to find a way of
working together with others.
“As the proverb says, if you want to go fast,
go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We
really need to go far in order to reshape the food
system in the extent we need to, in order to tackle
the significant challenges we are all up against
and contribute enough to save our planet. Hence
we need to go together, we need to co-operate.
That’s why we initiated the work to embrace more
co-creation and open innovation.”
As part of this approach, Coop Sweden launched
a tech innovation incubator, Bloomer, which targets
food tech entrepreneurs who have developed a
solution and want to test it on the market. Coop
Sweden provides them with the capital, mentorship
and platform to implement their innovation. They
will also be able to access anonymous data from
Coop Sweden members and customers.
The main partners on this project are Norrsken,
a foundation which supports and invests in
businesses that have a positive impact on society,
and Sweden Foodtech, a consultancy firm working
with foodtech start-ups.
“We do have a lot to offer in terms of our rich
knowledge and data, our 817 stores and online
channels – assets which could be very valuable
for start-ups and other large companies and for
innovating together with them,” says Ms Wolf. “I
am proud that we do not only have assets which
could help – we are helping others as well. That is
what the innovation platform we have initiated is
all about, and the Bloomer will be the first initiative
aimed to prove this”.
Coop Sweden’s innovation team will not be
driving the platform but will act as an enabler
connecting the different players involved.
The retailer has allocated SEK 10m (£808,153) for
the programme, which will select eight start-ups in
its first year. Bloomer is not the first project of this
kind in Sweden. In 2018 Ikea launched the start-up
programme IKEA Bootcamp, a similar drive to find
20 growth stage start-ups and work with them.
“IKEA is another inspiring actor embracing open
innovation for sustainability,” says Ms Wolf. The
BY ANCA VOINEA
"IF YOU WANT TO GO FAST, GO ALONE.
IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER.
WE REALLY NEED TO GO FAR IN ORDER
TO RESHAPE THE FOOD SYSTEM"
42 | FEBRUARY 2020