Today in the Connected Economy: Blue Apron Teams With Walmart Marketplace

Today in the connected economy, meal kit service Blue Apron seeks to diversify its offerings with a partnership with Walmart Marketplace. Plus, Amazon debuts a program to help drivers open their own delivery services, and grocery giant Kroger launches a digital delivery market.

Blue Apron Launches Walmart eCommerce Offering as Meal Kits Diversify

Meal kit providers are seeking ways to make the economics of the model work in the long term, including expanding into new categories and trying out new models. Among these companies is Blue Apron, which has launched a selection of single-purchase meal kits on the Walmart Marketplace. The partnership follows a similar collaboration with Amazon, launched last year.

Amazon Debuts Road to Ownership Program for Drivers

Amazon has launched Road to Ownership, a training and development program designed to help drivers and team members of Amazon Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) open their own delivery businesses. At the conclusion of the program, students unveil their business plans, with graduates receiving a grant for $30,000 to help cover living expenses and startup costs.

Kroger Takes the Farm Stand Digital With Delivery Marketplace

Kroger, America’s largest pure-play grocer, is working with online farmers market company Market Wagon to launch a delivery-only local food marketplace in Atlanta. The program spans a 60-mile radius and is made up of 28 counties offering more than 1,150 items from local vendors. In the tradition of in-person farmers markets, it is only available on certain days, delivering Tuesdays and Fridays.

Google to Merge Google Meet and Duo Features

Google is integrating Google Meet features with Google Duo to form a more unified communications service. The company plans to jettison the Duo brand and focus instead on its Google Meet platform. Video chat app Duo launched following Google’s unsuccessful bid to purchase WhatsApp in 2014. The coming weeks will see additions of Google Meet features to the Duo app to let users schedule video meetings or use video calling to connect with others. Later this year, the Duo app will be renamed to Google Meet and will act as a video communications platform.