Waitrose has announced it will be using Apigee's Edge API management software to help bolster its digital transformation process and build personalised apps to enhance the customer experience.
The apps Waitrose is developing covers in-store and online experiences, making it easier for customers to find, manage and buy items from the supermarket.
Existing APIs allow staff in stores to find product data using mobile devices, helping them to improve customer service if a customer is looking for information about a certain product.
Harry Strover, head of IT strategy and architecture at Waitrose, said: "Customers have a range of different requirements when they enter a store, whether it be looking for the latest product information, checking out the latest reviews and prices, or simply making a purchase.
"It's vital that we integrate all of these activities and deliver a personal and relevant experience around them, helping us to establish deeper relationships with our customers and engage with them in the way that works best for them.
Waitrose wants to be viewed as a forward-thinking company as this will give it the edge over its competitors, according to Strover. This means the company needs to demonstrate it can be quick to market and manage, secure, analyse and scale APIs among other things - the use of Apigee will help achieve this aim.
Ed Anuff, vice president of product strategy at Apigee, added: "Food retailers are operating in a time of great change in the UK supermarket industry, driven by the rise of convenience, online shopping, mobile and changes in shopping habits.
"They need to be able to adapt and innovate quickly, flexibly and efficiently in order to better engage with their customers."
