Whole Foods, Dunnhumby Partner to Evolve Customer Experience

Whole Foods Market Inc. has selected Chicago-based retail analytics firm Dunnhumby to help evolve the Austin, Texas-based natural grocer’s management and merchandising fueled by customer data and insights.

The two are working together to apply Whole Foods' customer data models, science and industry-leading processes to make store-level merchandising decisions based on specific customer needs. Data-driven, customer-led insights will enable the grocer to create the shopping experiences customers want, helping them find products, brands, sizes, flavors and services they desire faster and easier.

As product choices and preferences change from location to location, using data to provide customers at each one with the most relevant shopping experience is the best way to satisfy their needs and earn long-term loyalty, according to the companies.

"Dunnhumby has the ability to understand customers and turn that into action," said Don Clark, global VP of purchasing for nonperishables at Whole Foods. "This partnership allows us to keep innovating our shopping experience for the customer in a way that's most relevant to them and reflects how they want to shop in each local community."