German retailer REWE uses Israeli startup’s AI platform to digitize shopping.
German retail giant REWE has signed an agreement with Israeli startup Catch, a retail-focused AI-company, to test Catch AI, a multichannel platform that operates across smart carts, smartphones, self-checkout kiosks, and more.
The agreement was signed with REWE digital’s Innovation Hub “Research & Innovation”, which drives the integration of advanced technologies into supermarket operations.
In the first phase, the solution was implemented in 110 carts in REWE Center, the largest supermarket format of the retailer, in Cologne. Each cart will be equipped with a tablet delivering “Catch smart personal assistant” to individual shoppers; it allows shoppers to scan their handwritten shopping lists or digitally transfer their shopping lists using the tablet. It does not require registration or app download, enabling complete anonymity throughout the shopping process.
Catch was founded in 2022 by Shlomi Dayan, CEO, and Itai Lishner, CTO, both former executives at Israeli unicorn Trax. The company launched its product in May 2023 and currently employs 19 people in its R&D center in Israel and offices in Germany. Catch is available at Israel’s Tiv Taam stores and other locations worldwide, regularly serving more than 120,000 active shoppers and delivering a volume of over a million personalized messages and deals each month.
With a turnover of 28.4 billion euros (2022), more than 160,000 employees nationwide and 3,800 stores in Germany, REWE is one of the leading companies in German food retailing.
Source : Calcalist