There’s a brand new way to try new products at your local Metro Market store, thanks to Showdrop, a digital kiosk that unlocks single-serving samples for curious shoppers.

The temperature-controlled vending machines were installed earlier this month at Metro Market stores across greater Milwaukee, and they’ve been dishing out ready-to-eat (or drink) servings of four products, including:  

• Rishi Tea: Peach Hibiscus Green Tea
• Lakanto: Classic Monkfruit Sweetener
• Ghirardelli: Milk Chocolate Caramel Squares
• Swoon: Zero Sugar Pink Lemonade

“Showdrop is convenient because it’s available for shoppers at any time of the day, even early in the morning or late at night,” says Alex Segura, CEO and co-founder of Showdrop, “And since the kiosks are temperature controlled, we’ve had success sampling a wide variety of items, including cold beverages.

"It’s a really easy way to expose shoppers to a variety of samples, from boxed macaroni and cheese to chocolate and snacks. To keep things fresh, we change out at least one item every week or two and they’re showcased for a month.” 

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Segura brought the idea to life in 2022 as a mechanism to introduce shoppers to more of the products available in the marketplace, while simultaneously offering brands an easier way to showcase their products and get valuable feedback from consumers.

The Showdrop model was inspired by the need for a sampling system that could utilize software to track samples, monitor inventory in real-time and create a dynamic shopper experience. The prototypes were installed in offices, apartment buildings and on college campuses. 

“Unfortunately, we realized that those locations were too disconnected from the buying experience,” he says. “So, we decided to work directly with grocery stores, putting our first smart sampling kiosks in Mariano's stores last summer.”

Since then, they've grown the program, partnering with over 50 brands and expanding to include kiosks at Metro Market stores in the Milwaukee area.

Segura says they’ve been pleasantly surprised by both the engagement with customers and the response that brands have seen in sales of their products.

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Boost sales for local companies

Matthew Wood, Director of Retail for Rishi Tea & Botanicals, says that when Segura reached out to him over a year ago to participate in Showdrop, it was perfect timing. 

“Prior to the pandemic, Rishi had an active in-store demo program,” he says. “And while we hope to bring that back in the future, it will take some work to get it running again. So, Showdrop was appealing, and it’s been a really successful program for us.”

Wood says it’s relatively easy for Rishi to attract attention for their products at natural grocers like Outpost Natural Foods Cooperative. But it’s far more difficult to stand out in larger supermarkets like Pick ‘n Save and Metro Market. So, Showdrop is an excellent opportunity for them to get in front of people and call attention to their product in a large grocery setting.

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“It’s easy for people to take advantage of,” says Wood. “They can take our tea and sample it in their own homes, at their own pace. And we love that they even get instructions for where to find the product in the store. It seems to make a difference. We’re doing well in the market, generally. But we can see a noticeable uptick in sales for items that have been sampled through Showdrop.” 

Wood says that the reviews have also been helpful. 

“For us they’ve been overwhelmingly positive, but we’ve also gotten some very constructive feedback. For instance, we’ve found that since our tea sachets are shiny, people sometimes assume they are made of plastic.

"Not everyone knows that they are made with PLA, a substance made from organic plant-based starch. So, we’re learning that we can do better with how we talk about our commitment to sustainability and environmental impact.”

How does it work? Easy peasy

Getting your first sample from a Showdrop kiosk takes just a couple of minutes. And once you’ve done it the first time, it’s even quicker the next time. 

• Tap the Showdrop screen and scan the QR code that appears on the screen.

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• Enter your phone number and answer a couple of brief questions to unlock your PIN.
• Enter the PIN on the Showdrop screen.

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• Choose which sample you’d like to try.
• Retrieve the sample from the Showdrop kiosk.

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• You’ll receive a text message giving you more information about the product, including where to find it in the store.
• Within one to seven days, you’ll receive one more text from Showdrop with a short survey about how you liked the product.
• That’s it. Come back next week to sample another product!

Find Showdrop here

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Sample great new products at Showdrop sampling kiosks inside these Metro Market stores in the greater Milwaukee area: 

• Metro Market Brookfield – Bluemound (17630 W. Bluemound Rd., Brookfield)
• Metro Market Wauwatosa (12735 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield)
• Metro Market Glendale (6969 N. Port Washington Rd., Glendale)
• Metro Market Greenfield (4279 S. 76th St., Greenfield)
• Metro Market Mequon (11558 N. Port Washington Rd., Mequon)
• Metro Market Oconomowoc – Pabst Farms (1300 Pabst Farms Circle, Oconomowoc)
• Metro Market Oconomowoc Plank (36903 E. Wisconsin Ave., Oconomowoc)
• Metro Market Silvernail (2160 Silvernail Rd., Pewaukee)
• Metro Market Shorewood (4075 N. Oakland Ave., Shorewood)
• Metro Market State Street (6950 W. State St., Wauwatosa)