Dive Brief:
- Kroger has acquired YOU Technology Brand Services, a digital-coupon company founded in 2008. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
- Kroger,the largest supermarket chain in the U.S., is already a You Tech customer. So are some 20 other retailers. Kroger said You Tech will continue to serve those clients as well as Kroger outlets.
- Kroger began offering digital coupons back in 2009. Downloads have grown at an extraordinary rates since then — to 400 million in the past 12 months alone.
Dive Insight:
We've written previously about our discomfort with emerging technology in the supermarket and our fear that we will become superfluous to the whole process of shopping and cooking. But don't listen to us. We're old. You kids go have fun. Don't worry about us. We'll be fine. We're gonna sit here by the fire — maybe take a nap or something. You go on now.