Italian enterprise Everli has become the latest FoodTech startup to hit the headlines. The same-day delivery business announced a $100 million series C raise in April. Everli will use the funding to grow in new markets, having already found success in Italy, Poland and the Czech Republic. France is next on the list.

"Everli's news shows once more than super-fast delivery is one of the cornerstones of success in the online grocery retail space," comments Northfork CEO Erik Wallin. "No retailer can afford to ignore this. However, true convenience is about far more. This is where retailers need to add value."

Cart-filling

According to Northfork, the other cornerstone of convenience in the online food shopping experience is time taken to fill a cart. This is where services such as recipe discovery come into their own.

There are multiple ways to add value to the recipe shopping and menu planning process. Northfork is already doing this through its provision of shoppable recipe services to retailers such as Walmart and Coop. With a few clicks, shoppers can add a single meal or even an entire menu's worth of ingredients.

Selling inspiration

Shoppable recipes and menus enable retailers to connect with users through inspiration and ideas, not individual products. It can also deliver outstanding convenience.

Sample analysis from Northfork's sister brand Gastrofy, for example, reveals that 54% of users completed their menu planning in under five minutes; 33% in under three minutes. Filling a cart without using shoppable recipes and menus, whether online or in-store, takes considerably longer.

Leading the pack

"It is exciting to see how this space continues to develop," adds Northfork's Erik Wallin. "Retailers who look beyond deliveries in order to add value have excellent potential. They will be the leaders and innovators in making online grocery shopping even more convenient and earning customer loyalty."