!
OUTSIDE THE BOX N EW RETAIL PERS PECTIV ES
On a Quest to Social Media users are fed up with their hyper-curated feeds. Enter: BeReal—the latest social media app that has surged in popularity in recent months. BeReal encourages real-time, authentic posting in contrast to highly edited content on apps like Instagram. The app sends random daily alerts to users asking them to post a picture within two minutes to show whatever they are doing in that moment. The catch? You can’t view your friends’ posts until you’ve posted yourself. Scrolling through your BeReal feed, you’ll see posts as mundane as friends watching TV or at their work desks. In the name of authenticity, posts can’t be edited or filtered and friends can see how many times you’ve retaken your photo.
Gen-Z’s Consumerhaus Claire Spackman knows what Gen-Z wants from their shopping experience. A member of Gen-Z herself, Spackman founded Consumerhaus, a curated online market and shopping hub for Gen-Z consumers. The platform is set to launch on January 3, featuring over 700 products from 100 small brands spanning food and beverage products, health and wellness goods, pet supplies and personal care items. A majority of its inventory—60% that is—will be grocery items.
Biodegradable Bottles Water and the environment are two hot topics right now, especially in the Golden State. California-based material innovation company Cove is partnering with upscale Los Angeles grocer Erewhon to offer the first fully biodegradable water bottles. The plastic-free bottles are made of natural polymers called polyhydroxyalkanoates, or PHAs, that can be broken down by microorganisms, allowing them to disintegrate after disposal.
48 | CAL I FOR N I A G RO C E R