January 8, 2016

The 21st century grocery shopping experience is a far cry from strolling the aisles in-store at a market. Thanks to services like Amazon Fresh, FreshDirect, Instacart and PeaPod, consumers are able to order groceries and other household items from the comfort of their smartphones.

MasterCard and Samsung found a way to make the experience even easier. Instead of digging around for your phone — and worse yet, not remembering what you have and whether it’s expired — the brands have collaborated on a solution that brings groceries home right from the source — the refrigerator.  

Hard to miss on the South Hall showroom floor at CES, MasterCard’s truck-styled booth boasts all of its touchless payment solutions, with the Samsung collaboration being one of its newest. The MasterCard app works with the new Samsung Family Hub refrigeratorits truly connected functionality offers an odd sense of excitement to a key kitchen appliance.

With several sensors and cameras, the Family Hub does a visual inventory of the fridge contents by taking a photo each time the doors are opened and closed. In addition to knowing what’s inside, it allows the user to set expiration dates on the tablet touchscreen, making it easier to know when things need to be replaced.

Like any good smart device, there’s an app component that allows users to tap into the fridge’s cameras while on the go, and the MasterCard connectivity enables users to tap into grocery delivery services directly on the touchscreen interface. The Family Hub will work with FreshDirect and ShopRite at the start, with more services expected in the future, including integration with virtual assistants like the Amazon Echo.

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