Supermarket executives have more reason than ever to look for proprietary tools they can provide shoppers to save cost and time. Consumers and the nation's leaders are literally demanding lower food costs, but grocery margins are already thin.
By providing a modern meal-planning app to help consumers shop more strategically, supermarket brands can right tool can not only increase sales growth, but also CSAT and NPS.
We have compiled a comparison of top white-labeled menu planning apps grocery retailers can use to meet shopper demands for easy shopping and cost savings. Our criteria for software capabilities include: white-labeling, menu planning, grocery ordering, and cost savings.
2024 trends: Several 2024 trends have pushed supermarket executives to focus harder on grocery app innovation. They include:
AI-powered apps: Inspired by the adoption of tools like Siri and ChatGPT, consumers are increasingly leaning on simpler interactions that mimic a concierge providing personal answers and service.
Rising food costs: Inflation is forcing many consumers to think harder about how to change shopping habits to lower grocery bills.
Cross-category competition: retail locations increasingly compete against national delivery alternatives, increasing the need for a modern approach.
Research methodology: Our methodology has included third-party research and primary research into the top menu planning tools promoted online.
Research conclusions: Three naturally-occurring categories of food-related apps exist in the marketplace: menu planning and shopping assistant apps, white-labeled menu planning apps, and food cost-savings apps. Only one app in our study has been able to provide one consolidated solution to address all needs.
White-labeled menu planning and shopping assistant app overview
Name | White-Label | Menu Planning | Grocery Basket | Cost Saving |
Breez AI | High | High | High | High |
Foodzilla | Limited | High | No | No |
MealIQ | Limited | High | Medium | No |
eMeals | No | High | Medium | No |
Mealime | Limited | High | Medium | No |
PlateJoy | Limited | High | Medium | No |
Eatthismuch | Limited | High | Medium | No |
Yummly | Limited | High | Medium | No |
Grocery Pal | Limited | High | Medium | No |
Flipp | Limited | High | Medium | No |
Detailed Analysis of Meal Planning & Grocery Apps:
1. Breez AI
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Breez specifically mentions offering white-label solutions and robust API integration capabilities, suggesting it can be easily embedded into a supermarket's existing digital ecosystem.
Their website highlights their ability to integrate with loyalty programs, point-of-sale systems, and other key supermarket technologies. This suggests high flexibility for customization and branding to match the supermarket's look and feel.
Menu planning capabilities:
Breez's core functionality centers around AI-powered meal planning tailored to individual needs and preferences. Their website emphasizes the personalization aspect, including dietary restrictions, health goals, and even favorite cuisines.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Breez directly connects meal plans to shopping lists, making it easy for users to purchase the necessary ingredients. Integration with online grocery platforms or the supermarket's own e-commerce system is likely possible, streamlining the shopping process.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
Breez explicitly mentions features that help users save money, such as finding recipes based on what's on sale or suggesting budget-friendly alternatives. Integration with existing couponing platforms or databases could be leveraged to further enhance cost savings.
2. Foodzilla
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Offers white-label solutions and API integrations, enabling supermarkets to incorporate Foodzilla's features into their existing apps or platforms.
Customization options may allow supermarkets to tailor the user experience and branding.
Menu planning capabilities:
Focuses on providing personalized meal plans based on dietary needs, preferences, and goals.
May include features like recipe recommendations, meal plan creation, and nutritional information.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Can generate shopping lists based on selected meal plans.
May integrate with online grocery platforms for seamless ordering.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May offer features to help users find cost-effective recipes and meal plans.
Integration with coupon platforms or databases could provide potential savings.
3. MealiQ
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Limited information available on white-label or API integration options.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Focuses on creating meal plans that consider dietary restrictions, preferences, and family size.
May include features like recipe suggestions and meal plan calendars.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Can generate shopping lists based on meal plans.
May offer integration with online grocery stores for convenient ordering.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May include features to help users find budget-friendly recipes and meal plans.
Integration with coupon platforms or databases could provide potential savings.
4. eMeals
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Offers white-label solutions, allowing supermarkets to integrate eMeals' features into their own branded platforms.
API integrations may enable seamless connections with other systems.
Menu planning capabilities:
Provides a wide variety of meal plans catering to different dietary needs and preferences.
Offers features like recipe recommendations, meal plan calendars, and cooking instructions.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Generates shopping lists based on selected meal plans.
May integrate with online grocery platforms for easy ordering.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
Focuses on helping users save money with budget-friendly meal plans and recipes.
May include integration with coupon platforms or databases for additional savings.
5. Mealime
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Limited information available on white-label or API integration options.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Creates personalized meal plans based on dietary preferences, restrictions, and cooking time constraints.
Offers features like recipe recommendations and meal plan customization.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Generates shopping lists based on meal plans.
May offer integration with online grocery stores for convenient ordering.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May include features to help users find cost-effective recipes and meal plans.
Integration with coupon platforms or databases could provide potential savings.
6. PlateJoy
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Offers white-label solutions and API integrations, allowing supermarkets to incorporate PlateJoy's features into their own platforms.
Customization options may enable tailoring of the user experience and branding.
Menu planning capabilities:
Focuses on personalized meal plans based on individual health goals, dietary restrictions, and preferences.
Includes features like recipe recommendations, meal plan creation, and nutritional information.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Can generate shopping lists based on selected meal plans.
May integrate with online grocery platforms for seamless ordering.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May offer features to help users find cost-effective recipes and meal plans.
Integration with coupon platforms or databases could provide potential savings.
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Limited information available on white-label or API integration options.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Creates personalized meal plans based on specific macronutrient goals and dietary preferences.
Offers features like recipe recommendations and meal plan adjustments.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Can generate shopping lists based on selected meal plans.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May offer features to help users find cost-effective recipes and meal plans.
8. Yummly
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Offers API integrations, allowing supermarkets to access Yummly's vast recipe database and integrate it into their own platforms.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Provides a wide variety of recipes and meal ideas based on dietary needs and preferences.
May include features like recipe recommendations and meal planning tools.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Can generate shopping lists based on selected recipes.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
May offer features to help users find budget-friendly recipes.
9. Grocery Pal
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Limited information available on white-label or API integration options.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Focuses primarily on grocery shopping and price comparison rather than meal planning.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Helps users find the best deals on groceries by comparing prices across different stores.
May include features like shopping list creation and digital coupons.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
Core focus is on helping users save money on groceries through price comparison and coupons.
10. Flipp
White-label, feature customization, and API integration capabilities:
Limited information available on white-label or API integration options.
Customization capabilities may be limited.
Menu planning capabilities:
Focuses primarily on grocery shopping and deals rather than meal planning.
Grocery shopping capabilities:
Aggregates weekly flyers and circulars from various retailers, allowing users to browse deals and create shopping lists.
Cost-saving, budgeting, and couponing capabilities:
Core focus is on helping users save money on groceries through digital coupons and browsing weekly flyers.
Overall, these top 10 menu planning and shopping assistant apps fall into the following natural categories:
Menu planning as a white-labeled app for dieticians: Foodzilla and MealiQ
Menu planning for consumers (direct B2C): eMeals, Mealime, PlateJoy, Eat This Much, Yummly
Cost savings and couponing: Flipp and Grocery Pal
All capabilities: Breez AI
In summary, from a supermarket executive's perspective, Breez AI, eMeals and PlateJoy may be the most attractive options due to their robust white-label solutions and API integrations, allowing for seamless incorporation into the supermarket's existing platforms and a cohesive customer experience.
Foodzilla also offers promising white-label solutions and API integrations, making it worth considering. Breez AI stands out the most attractive complement to often-complex grocery apps due to its simple interface, which will attract shoppers who do not otherwise want to browse grocery store options.
Other apps like Mealiq, Mealime, Eat This Much, Yummly, Grocery Pal, and Flipp may have limited white-label or API integration capabilities, potentially posing challenges for seamless integration into a supermarket's ecosystem.
Note by author: this 2024 research was performed by CareConnect Strategies, a third party agency that has interaction with Breez AI but this research is not sponsored by Breez AI.
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