Target's Newest Acquisition A Boon For the Supply Chain

By Erin Harris, Editor-In-Chief, Cell & Gene
Follow Me On Twitter @ErinHarris_1

Big news for Target and its supply chain. The retail giant has agreed to acquire Grand Junction, a transportation technology company, to improve its delivery capabilities. Grand Junction, based in San Francisco, is working with Target on its same-day delivery pilot at the Target store in New York’s Tribeca neighborhood. Upon deal close, Grand Junction’s employees will become Target team members.

Local delivery as a customer experience and engagement differentiator is the kind of smart retailing needed to compete with the likes of Amazon and Walmart. This is a big move and a smart move for Target, as the acquisition will accelerate the work Target’s doing to improve speed of delivery. It will also boost the retailer’s ability to offer new services, including same-day delivery. Brian Cornell, Target’s CEO, is leading the retailer’s $7 billion turnaround plan, part of which includes investment in digital and technology to enhance supply chain capabilities. The Grand Junction deal is will be finalized soon but the exact date is undisclosed.