Retail data and technology firm Field Agent has acquired Toronto-based Shelfgram to grow its consumer packaged goods division.
Shelfgram is a virtual store walk platform that optimizes millions of shopper-submitted photos with artificial intelligence.
“Leveraging millions of Field Agent’s crowdsourced photos and continuously feeding them through Shelfgram’s AI-enabled platform allows for a brand-new understanding of category insights,” says Rick West, CEO of Field Agent. “With the acquisition, we’re building a bridge over the current product visibility limitations the CPG industry faces.”
West added that the acquisition will help retail-centric companies conduct competitive market research, execute promotions and display efforts, and better serve shoppers. It will also enable brands to monitor category activities in-store and online.
“The vision of our company has always been to supercharge the store check. This acquisition is a catalyst for reaching that vision substantially faster by joining forces with the awesome Field Agent team, securing investment, and vertically integrating our two technologies,” says Bram Warshafksy, founder of Shelfgram, in a LinkedIn post. “With this milestone, I’ve been reflecting on our company’s roller-coaster journey. Shelfgram was bootstrapped a month before a global pandemic hit, grew during a period of unprecedented supply chain disruptions, and then matured amidst rapid inflation. Today, our platform ingests a new retail photo every second — supporting over 500 companies with data collection across 35 countries.”
