Strack & Van Til Launches Homesome’s AI-Powered Digital Platform
Strack & Van Til, a Hy-Vee-owned regional grocer whose more than 20 Strack & Van Til and Town & Country Market stores serve northwest Indiana, has rolled out a new and improved website and mobile app to enhance how customers shop and interact with their stores.
Developed by Homesome, the customized digital platform prioritizes customer convenience and engagement, providing Strack & Van Til shoppers with an unprecedented level of personalization, integrated loyalty rewards, digital coupon clipping, e-commerce, floral and catering services in a unified shopping experience. Homesome’s platform is powered by an advanced AI engine to create a tailored shopping journey, adapting to each customer’s unique preferences and purchase history.
“Winning customer loyalty online isn’t just about points anymore,” noted Michael Tyson, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Highland, Ind.-based Strack & Van Til. “It’s about creating a digital experience that feels like a conversation, not a transaction. That’s what we’ve built with Homesome. This isn’t a generic template with our logo tacked on — it’s a custom-built experience that reflects the unique needs of our shoppers.”
[RELATED: Strack & Van Til Teams With E-Commerce Solutions Provider Homesome]
The updated website and mobile app now offer the following:
The multiple buying channels of grocery pickup and delivery, Buy It Again, order-ahead deli services and catering, custom cakes, floral orders, and holiday pre-orders
AI-powered search and personalization technology that adapts to customer preferences
A built-in weekly ad
The ability to filter and browse products by dietary preferences and restrictions
Access to more than 10,000 recipes and the ability to add ingredients to a cart with a single click
Recipe recommendations based on the items in the cart and shopping history
The ability to browse relevant coupons for eligible items and track club membership progress
Seamless integration of loyalty rewards and digital coupons across all shopping channels
The ability to create and save multiple personalized shopping lists for easy future reference
With the Homesome Enterprise platform, retailers can have fully customized websites and mobile apps, offering them a fully native digital platform that unifies their service channels. The platform’s suite of integrations — encompassing loyalty providers, secure payments, SNAP/EBT, fraud protection and multi-channel delivery — aims to give retailers a sophisticated end-to-end solution.
Since the new platform launched, Strack & Van Til has experienced unprecedented digital growth, including a 93% year-over-year uptick in digital sales. The retailer has also seen record-breaking engagement with its digital coupon and loyalty programs – evidence of the platform’s ability to spur meaningful customer adoption and revenue growth.
“By dramatically enhancing the customer experience, Homesome empowers retailers to increase engagement, drive sales and retain shoppers who might otherwise turn to larger chains,” said Rahul Chabukswar, CEO of Santa Clara, Calif.-based Homesome.
Employee-owned Hy-Vee operates more than 570 business units across eight Midwestern states, with sales of more than $13 billion annually. The West Des Moines, Iowa-based company has more than 75,000 employees and is No. 38 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
