The Grocery Revolution Part 1 of 3: The Next 10 Years

How Connected Services and AI will Transform the Way We Shop

 Amanda Seevers

 Jay Highland

Estimated Read Time: 4 Minutes

What does grocery shopping look like in 20 years? Will we be grabbing fresh produce from drone deliveries, or will our fridges simply restock themselves? We were asked to take a deep dive into the future of grocery, and we couldn't resist the challenge. Welcome to the first of three articles where we break down the grocery trends you can expect to see over the next 5, 10, and even 20 years.

We're starting by focusing on the near term—what's happening right now and what will unfold in the next decade. Think of this as your sneak peek into the grocery world of 2040. By the end of this series, you'll have a full picture of where the industry is headed, and more importantly, how your brand can stay ahead of the curve.

Connective Services: A New Web of Consumer Engagement

The term "omnichannel" may already feel outdated as we move into an era of true connectivity, where consumers expect seamless, interconnected experiences across multiple facets of their lives.

Think about how apps like Kakao in Asia have revolutionized the way people engage with services like transportation, banking, and retail—all within a single platform. As this model makes its way into Western culture, grocery stores will likely evolve into more than just places to buy food. They will offer a one-stop solution for all daily needs—groceries, healthcare, financial services, and even transportation. This will allow brands to build a stronger web of connectivity with their customers, providing unparalleled convenience.

Grocery retailers that embrace this shift will likely lead the charge by offering platforms that allow consumers to schedule deliveries, make payments, and even manage personal health, all from the same interface. In this environment, the grocery store is no longer just a place to shop but an integral part of the daily lives of consumers.

Generation AI: Personalization Supercharged

Another major trend in the next 5 to 10 years is the rise of AI-driven personalization. As consumers demand more tailored experiences, artificial intelligence (AI) will become a powerful tool to meet these expectations.

Related: A Digital Deep Dive

Globally, e-commerce usage is expected to grow significantly, with AI playing a critical role in personalizing consumer experiences. By 2028, it's anticipated that 34.1% of consumers will shop online, up from 29.9% in 2024. AI will enable grocery stores to offer highly customized shopping experiences that go beyond traditional loyalty programs. Instead of simply offering generic deals, AI will predict what consumers want based on past purchases, preferences, and even lifestyle choices.

This predictive capability is likely to extend to meal planning and dietary needs, where AI can suggest customized menus or product recommendations based on personal health data. For example, AI-generated taste profiles could guide shoppers to products tailored to their exact preferences, anticipating future needs. Moreover, the use of generative AI technologies in grocery is expected to grow from $993.3 million in 2023 to $2.92 billion by 2033.

Grocery retailers that leverage AI to enhance their customer interactions will be able to offer a level of personalization that goes far beyond current offerings, helping to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. By 2024, we anticipate AI influencing entirely new flavor profiles based on evolving taste buds and the introduction of new bioengineered foods and ingredients.

Navigating Tomorrow's Grocery Landscape

In the coming years, connective services and AI will reshape the grocery experience, turning it into a highly personalized and interconnected service hub. This is just the beginning of our exploration into the future of grocery. In our next installment, we will dive deeper into additional trends such as specialized vs mass markets and the climate era. Stay tuned as we continue to chart the course for grocery in the years to come, ultimately providing a full POV to help your brand decide how to navigate this evolving landscape.

By starting today, grocery brands can position themselves not just for the next 5 to 10 years, but for a future that is fully aligned with consumer needs in 2040 and beyond.