Exploring Business Formats and Digital Operations for a New Supermarket Model

「株式会社カスミ opened Kasumi Akabane-Kamiya Store in Kita-ku, Tokyo, its fourth store in Tokyo. Akabane-Kamiya Store is based on a new format, the New Supermarket Model, centered on an assortment of low-priced everyday products and low-cost operations.」

「As the final year of the Second Medium-Term Management Plan, we promoted initiatives to transform the cost structure, realize new store formats and reform services and ways of working, as set out in the plan. Based on initiatives including improving the convenience of self-checkout and smartphone payments, distinctive offerings such as Online Delivery and digital promotions, and establishing an overseas offshore development structure, we advanced a company-wide effort to bring these capabilities together in stores and pilot them as a new business model.」

「In an effort to promote OMO (the integration of online and physical-store sales), we launched local fulfillment stores at 13 stores in the Tsukuba area of Ibaraki Prefecture, managing store inventory across the area as a single virtual store. We also expanded the products available for online selection and their delivery areas, and launched initiatives to improve convenience.」

「In addition, a local fulfillment store sharing inventory was piloted at 2 stores in the Mito area of Ibaraki Prefecture, enabling customers to purchase from a broader range of products. Expansion to 13 stores in the Tsukuba area is planned for June.」

「We recognize that the competitive environment surrounding our company is no longer limited to competition among supermarkets, but is increasingly characterized by competition across business formats, making it urgent to transform the business into OMO through integration with digital services.」

「As part of our digital initiatives, we expanded the number of stores offering Scan & Go Ignica, our in-house smartphone payment service, to more than 500, making it available at all Maruetsu and Kasumi stores, and also began rolling it out to companies outside the Group.」

「As part of its digital initiatives, the Group successively rolled out Online Delivery and Scan & Go at existing stores and provided customers with new shopping experiences through initiatives including the Ignica 10x Points Campaign.」

「As part of its digital transformation efforts, which have been promoted since the prior fiscal year to accommodate new shopping styles, the company completed development of the website version of Online Delivery following the smartphone app version, launched a marketplace, began handling products in categories not available at physical stores, and started expanding customers' shopping options.」

「In sales operations, in addition to providing menu recipes and strengthening the product assortment in response to the increase in meals eaten at home, and revising sales promotions to avoid customer concentration on specific days or during specific time periods, we launched "Scan & Go," a new shopping style using smartphones, and "Online Delivery," which allows customers to collect products ordered by smartphone from unmanned in-store pickup rooms or designated delivery locations within the area, and focused on digitalisation to address new lifestyles.」

「In addition, we launched Online Delivery, which allows customers to collect products ordered by smartphone at stores or designated delivery locations within the area, and plan to expand it sequentially to major consolidated subsidiaries.」

「These digitalisation initiatives involved enhancing the Scan & Go service, a payment function developed under the second medium-term management plan launched in the current consolidated fiscal year that enables customers to shop easily, securely and smoothly using their smartphones without lining up at the checkout, as well as enhancing the online supermarket function and rolling out Online Delivery, which allows customers to collect items ordered by smartphone at stores or designated delivery locations within the service area.」

「This medium-term management plan seeks to achieve “improved profitability,” “transformation of the existing business model” and “transformation and creation of value provided” by implementing cost, format, workstyle and digital reforms.」

「In addition, we will begin fleshing out the New Supermarket Model, which is a medium- to long-term challenge.」

「In addition, with the aim of transitioning to a new supermarket model, the Business Format Development Department and Digital Business Planning Department were newly established, and consideration of the model is under way.」

「In addition, with the aim of transitioning to a new supermarket model, the Business Format Development Department and Digital Business Planning Department were newly established, and consideration of the model was begun.」