Northfork and NBCU have revealed details of a new partnership. The companies are working together to deliver a seamless shop by recipe experience to users of the Today site. Northfork's lightweight widgets power the service, while Walmart fulfils the orders.

A new era

"We are delighted to be powering Today’s new recipe shopping experience," comments Northfork Co-founder Erik Wallin. "The new service will deliver outstanding convenience to those inspired by Today’s huge range of recipes."

The pandemic has seen a shift in the way that consumers engage with food-related content. That shift was already underway, thanks to advances in tech, but the pandemic has accelerated it noticeably.

In the US, for example, 71% of people plan to continue cooking more, even after the pandemic ends. Over in the UK, meanwhile, 91% of people plan to cook as much or more over the year ahead, according to Premier Foods.

Technology powering engagement

The Northfork and NBCU/Today partnership meets this trend head on. It enables users to engage with Today's content in a shopping context as they enjoy food articles and tv-shows. Northfork's fast, easy-to-integrate widgets provide seamless grocery cart functionality on the Today site. Users can engage with the content without leaving the site - it's not a case of them being redirected to a supermarket site. This means they can turn recipe inspiration into a shopping delivery in just a few clicks. They also have the opportunity to swap items, find favourite brands and shop as they would doing the weekly grocery order.

"The food shopping experience is evolving," continues Wallin. "Today's users are benefitting from this by engaging with recipe content in a way that supports them to make the most of their inspiration. It's about convenience and enjoyment, elevating the experience of deciding what's for dinner to a whole new level. The Northfork team is thrilled to be supporting that evolution."