Relationshop, a provider of digital engagement solutions for supermarkets and other retail chains, announced today that it has finalized a merger between two leading providers of eCommerce solutions for regional grocers and independents: Mercatus Technologies, based in Toronto, and Stor.ai, operating out of Tel Aviv. The newly merged company will be called Mercatus, a testament to the equity the eCommerce brand has achieved in the grocery sector, and will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Relationshop Inc.
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Relationshop To Merge Mercatus Technologies and Stor.ai, Creating a Connected Commerce Ecosystem for Grocery Retailers of All Sizes (Graphic: Mercatus)
The strategic merger combines Mercatus’ enterprise eCommerce platform with Relationshop’s expertise in unifying first-party data and powering personalized digital engagement. This transaction comes on the heels of Relationshop acquiring Stor.ai, an eCommerce solution for independent grocers, in Jan. 2023. The combined capabilities of all three companies will create a connected commerce ecosystem with robust shopper engagement, personalization and loyalty solutions scaled for retailers of all sizes in North America, Europe and the Middle East.
This merger comes at a time when regional grocers and independents face stiff headwinds from larger national chains and mass retailers, such as Walmart. In Nov. 2023, research from Brick Meets Click and sponsored by Mercatus showed mass merchants surpassed supermarkets to become the primary retail format that most households relied on for their grocery purchases during the month, whether online or in-store.
The merged company sets a new global standard in delivering a unified, personalized and convenient first-party digital shopping experience that attracts customers, grows sales online and in-store, strengthens customer retention and enhances loyalty.
The company’s client base now extends across more countries and continents with over 1,800 regional grocery chain stores in the United States and more than 400 independent grocery stores globally, including locations in the United Kingdom, France and Canada. Noteworthy supermarket customers include Albertsons, United Supermarkets, Big Y Foods, Buehler’s Fresh Foods, Carrefour, East of England COOP and Vallarta Supermarkets. The roster also features Stater Brothers Markets, Winn Dixie, Weis Markets, Harvey’s Supermarkets, WinCo Foods, Strack & Van Til, and C&S Wholesale’s Piggly Wiggly Midwest, among others. Additionally, the company has a commanding presence in the Israeli market, representing 90% of grocers that manage their own first-party eCommerce platforms.
With the merger, several Mercatus executives will take on key roles within the expanded organization. Sylvain Perrier, newly appointed president of North America and global COO, said, “Mercatus has been at the forefront of serving the digital commerce needs of regional grocers and supermarkets for over 15 years. This merger increases our capability to deliver unprecedented value to our clients by combining our proven technology and eCommerce expertise with the innovative shopper engagement and personalization solutions from Relationshop.”
Galen Walters, a visionary leader, founder and CEO of Relationshop with five decades of grocery retail experience, will serve as the new CEO of Mercatus.
“The senior leadership team at Mercatus, backed by our board, is wholeheartedly devoted to advancing the connected commerce requirements of grocery retailers,” he said. “Grocery retailers need flexible, automated solutions capable of addressing the competitive threat posed by national chains and the loss of control that comes from relying on third-party delivery providers. As we look to the future, we are excited to join forces, enhancing our offerings to uniquely satisfy the evolving demands of supermarkets and our customers worldwide.”
Piper Sandler and Solomon Partners acted as financial advisors to Relationshop and Mercatus, respectively. Details of the transaction are undisclosed.
To learn more about the merged company, visit mercatus.com.
About Relationshop
Relationshop is a leading provider of customer engagement solutions for retail. Our experienced team is comprised of experts in retail operations, marketing and technology and is passionate about helping our retail clients build connected, profitable relationships with shoppers by leveraging data, personalizing engagement, and delivering a unified, seamless shopping experience from online to in-store.
About Mercatus
Mercatus helps leading grocers get back in charge of their eCommerce experience, empowering them to deliver exceptional retailer-branded, end-to-end online shopping, from store to door. Our expansive network of more than 60 integration partners allows grocers to work with their partners of choice, on their terms. Together, we enable clients to create authentic digital shopping experiences with solutions to drive shopper engagement, grow share of wallet and achieve profitability, while quickly adapting to changes in consumer behavior.
About Stor.ai
Stor.ai, a Relationshop company, empowers regional chains and grocers with the first of its kind, unified iCommerce platform, combining operational excellence with data analytics and omni-channel engagement capabilities to increase transactions, enhance loyalty and grow sales. The platform offers grocers true omnichannel engagement and personalization tools for health and nutrition, loyalty and reward programs, email and SMS marketing, digital circulars, and data analytics for online, offline and hybrid customers.
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