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Generated Oct 18, 2026
  1. Programmable
  2. Playbooks
  3. Cooklist
Cooklist logo

growth playbook · Oct 18, 2026

cooklist.com (opens in a new tab)

Cooklist growth playbook

Diagnosis

Cooklist is in production at seven grocers across 700+ US stores, including Kroger banners and a Wegmans beta, with 700 more locations coming, and says it is profitable and "overwhelmed by demand".

Its hiring shows the next step: a first Product Marketing Lead to turn that progress into messaging, proof and launches, a Technical Account Manager to drive adoption and renewals at two strategic grocers, and an implementation engineer for partnerships.

The biggest gap is visibility: search engines and AI assistants see six words on cooklist.com, the homepage names no retailer even though its own llms.txt names Kroger, and the strongest numbers sit in one trade article. This playbook gives the new hires a first 90 days built on fixing that and on new budgets (in-store sales, customer service, retail media).

Growth Score

7/10

Biggest Opportunity

Make the proof visible (Kroger, Wegmans, 700+ stores, five times more shopper context) and sell the full value, including in-store sales and support, to win the regional grocers before Instacart does.

Biggest Risk

Instacart is selling a white-label assistant to the same grocers and Kroger also works with Google on Gemini assistants; if Cooklist stays invisible and unnamed, buyers may not know it is already running at scale.

01

Start here

The three moves to make first. Each one is written up in full below.

  1. 1

    Make cooklist.com readable by Google and AI assistants: today they see six words and no sitemap

    Run a crawler on the five main marketing pages and record the words each one serves; that is the baseline.

    High impact First result in 2-4 weeks
  2. 2

    Lead the homepage with the proof already public: live at Kroger banners and Wegmans, try it at Fred Meyer

    Ask the Kroger and Wegmans contacts which wording and logos they approve for the website.

    High impact First result in 2 weeks
  3. 3

    A one-page "what shoppers ask" proof sheet from the numbers Cooklist has already shared

    Pull the published numbers and confirm each with the founders.

    High impact First result in 2 weeks

02

Your idea portfolio

21 ideas, grouped by when to run them. Open any idea for how to run it: the steps, who to approach, copy you can use, and how to measure it.

  • 6 ideas are marked Unexpected: plays you are unlikely to have tried.

Every idea placed by the effort it takes against the impact it could have. Quick wins sit top left; select a number to open that idea. The filters below narrow the list by status, timing, category and what Programmable can build.

Effort vs impactEach number is an idea. Select one to open it.
Impact →
Quick wins · 4Big bets · 9Fill-ins · 2Reconsider · 6
Effort →

Showing 21 of 21 ideas

This week 6

Quick wins with a clear first action.

  • 01

    The site renders only in the browser. Search engines get six words and no headline, /sitemap.xml and /robots.txt return the app page, and the recipe, product and demo pages serve no text. A grocery executive who asks an AI assistant about agentic grocery vendors gets nothing from cooklist.com except llms.txt.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 2-4 weeks Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Run a crawler on the five main marketing pages and record the words each one serves; that is the baseline.

    How to measure it

    Marketing pages indexed with full text

    Now
    –
    Target
    all main pages
    By
    3 weeks

    Steps

    1. 1

      Record the baseline

      Words served, titles and status for each marketing page.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    2. 2

      Choose the fix

      Next.js server rendering or static generation for marketing routes.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 hours

    3. 3

      Render the pages

      Home, platform, about, careers, demo, consumer app.

      Senior AI Engineer 3 days

    4. 4

      Ship real sitemap and robots

      Generated files, not the app shell.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 hours

    5. 5

      Add metadata

      Titles, descriptions, share image, page language.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    6. 6

      Submit to Search Console

      Sitemap and URL inspection for each page.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    7. 7

      Re-check

      Crawler and Google's inspection show full text.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    First result
    2 to 4 weeks
    Cost
    $0, about a week of engineering
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Pre-render the homepage alone and confirm Google sees the headline within a week.

    Why it works

    Server-render or pre-render the marketing pages (home, platform, about, careers, demo, the consumer app page), publish a real sitemap.xml and robots.txt, add page titles, descriptions, a share image and page language, and check the result with a crawler before and after.

    The Product Marketing Lead owns the website and launches; none of that work is visible to search or AI answers until the pages render on the server. It is a one-time fix that every later launch, case study and press mention depends on.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Breaking the app routes

      Render only marketing pages first; keep app routes as they are.

    Evidence

    • programmable.infoCrawler check: cooklist.com serves search engines six visible words and no H1; /sitemap.xml and /robots.txt return the app page instead of real files; /recipes/browse and /request-demo serve no text and /platform/agentic-search four words.Source
    • programmable.infoSite scan: no social share image and no page language on the homepage; DMARC policy "none"; the headline changed in the last year from "Eat Intelligently" to "Agentic Commerce for Grocery".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
    • Your websitellms.txt: Cooklist "powers the first agentic AI shopping experience launched by Kroger", live in December 2025 at Fred Meyer, then Smith's, rolling out across Kroger banners in 2026; "Try it live" at fredmeyer.com/mealassistant.Source
  • 02

    Cooklist's own llms.txt says it powers Kroger's first agentic shopping assistant and links to it live at Fred Meyer; trade press reports Kroger banners and Wegmans using it. The homepage names no retailer at all.

    High impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Ask the Kroger and Wegmans contacts which wording and logos they approve for the website.

    How to measure it

    Homepage to demo request rate

    Now
    –
    Target
    +40% relative
    By
    6 weeks

    Steps

    1. 1

      Check permissions

      What each retailer allows Cooklist to say.

      Co-founder & COO 1 week

    2. 2

      Write the strip

      Store count, banners, "see it live" link.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    3. 3

      Add to home and demo pages

      Above the fold.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    4. 4

      Match llms.txt

      Keep claims identical across both.

      Product Marketing Lead 30 minutes

    5. 5

      Use in outreach

      Same line in every first email and deck.

      Product Marketing Lead ongoing

    6. 6

      Measure

      Demo requests before and after.

      Product Marketing Lead weekly

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Add the store count and "see it live" link alone this week.

    Why it works

    Add a proof strip to the homepage and demo page: "In production at 700+ US grocery stores", the banners Cooklist can name (with approval), and a "See it live" link to the Fred Meyer assistant. Keep the wording to what each retailer has agreed.

    Grocery executives buy what peers already run. The proof exists and is public; putting it on the page answers "who uses this" before the demo call.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • A retailer objects to being named

      Use approved wording or "a top-five US grocer" until approved.

    Evidence

    • Your websitellms.txt: Cooklist "powers the first agentic AI shopping experience launched by Kroger", live in December 2025 at Fred Meyer, then Smith's, rolling out across Kroger banners in 2026; "Try it live" at fredmeyer.com/mealassistant.Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • Your websiteHomepage (as rendered in a browser): "Agentic AI For Grocers"; assistants that plan meals within a budget, track pantry inventory, assemble carts and help after purchase; calls to action "Get Demo" and "Ask ChatGPT"; no retailer is named.Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 03

    Cooklist told Grocery Dive that messages run about 50 characters against 10 for search, five times the context, and that about half of users finish their order in store. Those are strong, simple numbers for a grocery executive, and they sit in one article.

    High impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Pull the published numbers and confirm each with the founders.

    How to measure it

    Demo-to-pilot rate

    Now
    –
    Target
    +25% relative
    By
    1 quarter

    Steps

    1. 1

      Collect the numbers

      From the Grocery Dive piece and internal data.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    2. 2

      Confirm with founders

      What can be shared and how.

      Co-founder & CEO 1 hour

    3. 3

      Design the page

      Five numbers and one example conversation.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 day

    4. 4

      Add to the deck

      One slide version.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    5. 5

      Post it

      Founder LinkedIn post with the headline number.

      Co-founder & COO 30 minutes

    6. 6

      Refresh quarterly

      As more stores go live.

      Product Marketing Lead quarterly

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Send the sheet to three open prospects this week.

    Why it works

    Turn the published numbers into a one-page sheet and a deck slide: richer intent per message, in-store completion, support questions handled, integration in about six weeks, and 700+ stores live. Add one anonymised example conversation.

    The Product Marketing Lead is asked for proof points and sales materials; these numbers make the value concrete for ecommerce, store operations and customer service leaders alike.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Numbers vary by retailer

      Quote them as ranges or "in some deployments" as Cooklist did publicly.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 04

    The homepage has no social share image or page language, and the domain's DMARC policy is "none". Links shared on LinkedIn show no preview, and outreach email is easier to spoof and filter.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 week Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Add a share image to the homepage and test the preview in LinkedIn's post inspector.

    How to measure it

    LinkedIn link click-through

    Now
    –
    Target
    +30% relative
    By
    4 weeks

    Steps

    1. 1

      Make the share image

      One template for all pages.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    2. 2

      Add metadata

      OG tags and page language.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 hours

    3. 3

      Test previews

      LinkedIn and Slack.

      Product Marketing Lead 30 minutes

    4. 4

      Turn on DMARC reports

      Read a week of reports.

      Co-founder & COO 30 minutes

    5. 5

      Move to quarantine

      Once senders pass.

      Co-founder & COO 15 minutes

    6. 6

      Check monthly

      Previews and reports.

      Product Marketing Lead monthly

    First result
    1 week
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Fix the homepage preview first.

    Why it works

    Add an Open Graph image and description to every marketing page, set the page language, and move DMARC to quarantine after checking that Google Workspace and any outreach tools pass.

    Founder LinkedIn posts and outreach are the main channels; a proper preview and better deliverability make each post and email work harder.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Blocking legitimate mail

      Read reports before tightening the policy.

    Evidence

    • programmable.infoSite scan: no social share image and no page language on the homepage; DMARC policy "none"; the headline changed in the last year from "Eat Intelligently" to "Agentic Commerce for Grocery".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 05

    Cooklist says retailers integrate in about six weeks without building in-house, and it is hiring an implementation engineer for strategic partnerships. Grocery IT and ecommerce teams decide on effort and risk.

    High impactLow effort First result in 3 weeks Senior Implementation Engineer

    First action

    Write down the actual timeline from the last two launches.

    How to measure it

    Time from verbal yes to signed

    Now
    –
    Target
    -25%
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Review recent launches

      Actual weeks and blockers.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 1 day

    2. 2

      Write the plan

      Week by week with owners.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 1 day

    3. 3

      List retailer inputs

      Feeds, access, approvals.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 2 hours

    4. 4

      Publish

      Page and PDF.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 day

    5. 5

      Add to the deck

      One slide.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    6. 6

      Update after each launch

      Keep it honest.

      Senior Implementation Engineer per launch

    First result
    3 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Senior Implementation Engineer

    Smallest test

    Send the plan to one prospect's IT lead.

    Why it works

    Publish a week-by-week plan (catalog and inventory feeds, cart integration, brand and safety settings, testing, launch), what the retailer's team needs to provide, and who from Cooklist owns each step.

    Implementation fear is the main reason grocers build or wait. A concrete, published plan makes the six weeks believable and gives champions something to take to IT.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Every retailer is different

      Show the standard path and the common exceptions.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringOther open roles: Senior Implementation Engineer, Strategic Partnerships; Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Personalization; Senior AI Engineer (LLMs and agents). Wellfound lists a $3M seed (2021) and 11 to 50 staff.Source
    • HiringTechnical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships: own post-launch technical health and adoption for strategic accounts, starting with "a leading national grocer and a major regional grocer"; run account reviews, protect confidential partner data, and support renewals and expansion by showing delivered value.Source
  • 06

    Instacart now sells a white-label Cart Assistant to grocers and launched its own consumer assistant. Cooklist's founders told the press that with Cooklist "retailers own all their data" and keep full control.

    High impactLow effort First result in 2 weeks Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    List the last three deals where Instacart came up and what the buyer asked.

    How to measure it

    Win rate against Instacart

    Now
    –
    Target
    tracked and rising
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Gather objections

      From recent deals.

      Co-founder & COO 1 hour

    2. 2

      Write the comparison

      Five points, sourced.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 day

    3. 3

      Write the answers

      Objection and response pairs.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    4. 4

      Review with founders

      Accuracy and tone.

      Co-founder & CEO 1 hour

    5. 5

      Train the team

      A 30-minute walkthrough.

      Product Marketing Lead 30 minutes

    6. 6

      Update quarterly

      As Instacart's offer changes.

      Product Marketing Lead quarterly

    First result
    2 weeks
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Use the card in the next Instacart-contested deal.

    Why it works

    Write a one-page comparison for AEs and founders: data ownership, whose brand the shopper sees, whether the assistant sends shoppers to a marketplace, in-store completion, and integration time, with the objections and answers.

    Many prospects will already be talking to Instacart. A clear, fair answer on data and customer ownership is the strongest argument a retailer-native vendor has.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Claims about a competitor go stale

      Source every point and date the card.

    Evidence

    • Competitor researchInstacart's white-label Cart Assistant is live at Food Bazaar, Heritage Grocers and Woodman's with Aldi US, Harmons, Save Mart and Stew Leonard's coming, and its consumer assistant Clementine launched on September 9, 2026; Albertsons launched its own assistant in December 2025.Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source

This quarter 9

The core plays for the next three months.

  • 07

    The Technical Account Manager starts with a leading national grocer and a major regional grocer and is asked to show delivered value for renewals. The Product Marketing Lead is asked for case studies. Both need the same numbers.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 2 months Technical Account Manager

    First action

    Add "agreed outcomes for a case study" to the agenda of the next account review with each partner.

    How to measure it

    Case studies with numbers

    Now
    –
    Target
    2
    By
    2 months

    Steps

    1. 1

      Agree outcomes

      Three per partner at the account review.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 meeting each

    2. 2

      Pull the data

      From the platform, checked with the partner.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 week

    3. 3

      Write the stories

      Problem, launch, numbers, quote.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    4. 4

      Partner approval

      Legal and comms.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 2 to 4 weeks

    5. 5

      Publish

      Site, LinkedIn, decks.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 day

    6. 6

      Use in renewals

      Share the numbers in the renewal review.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships ongoing

    First result
    2 months
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships

    Smallest test

    Get one quote and one number from the regional partner first.

    Why it works

    Agree three outcomes with each partner at the next account review (basket size, repeat use, in-store completion or support deflection), and turn them into one national and one regional case study, named or described as each partner allows.

    Regional chains want to see a peer, not only Kroger; a national and a regional story cover both kinds of buyer. The same numbers support each partner's renewal.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Partners keep data confidential

      Describe the retailer and publish percentages only.

    Builds on

    Evidence

    • HiringTechnical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships: own post-launch technical health and adoption for strategic accounts, starting with "a leading national grocer and a major regional grocer"; run account reviews, protect confidential partner data, and support renewals and expansion by showing delivered value.Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
  • 08

    The Product Marketing Lead is asked to build founder LinkedIn content, and Cooklist sees what shoppers ask at 700+ stores. Grocery executives follow what changes shopper behaviour.

    Medium impactLow effort First result in 1 month Co founder & CEO

    First action

    Pick four observations for the next month and agree the anonymisation rules with partners.

    How to measure it

    Inbound demo requests from LinkedIn

    Now
    –
    Target
    4 a month
    By
    2 months

    Steps

    1. 1

      Agree rules

      Aggregate, anonymised, partner-approved categories only.

      Co-founder & COO 1 week

    2. 2

      Build a weekly query

      Top missions and question types.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 day

    3. 3

      Draft posts

      Observation and what it means.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour a week

    4. 4

      Founder voice

      CEO or COO edits and posts.

      Co-founder & CEO 30 minutes a week

    5. 5

      Engage

      Reply to grocery executives who comment.

      Co-founder & COO weekly

    6. 6

      Track inbound

      Demo requests citing LinkedIn.

      Product Marketing Lead monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Co founder & CEO

    Smallest test

    Four posts in four weeks.

    Why it works

    Each week, one short post from the CEO or COO with an anonymised, aggregate observation (the most common meal mission this week, how budget questions changed, what share of questions are about support) and what it means for grocers.

    It shows expertise no slide can, keeps Cooklist visible to the buyers it needs, and feeds the trade press.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Revealing partner data

      Use only aggregate trends approved in advance.

    Evidence

    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
  • 09

    Cooklist says about half of the people who use its assistants complete their order in store. If the business case only counts online baskets, it misses much of the value and the store operations budget.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Ask one strategic partner whether their loyalty data can link assistant users to store baskets.

    How to measure it

    Deals using the combined ROI model

    Now
    –
    Target
    5
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Confirm data access

      Loyalty ID link with a partner.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Define the measure

      Store and online baskets, users against matched non-users.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 week

    3. 3

      Build the model

      A simple template.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    4. 4

      Run with one partner

      Two months of data.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 2 months

    5. 5

      Present to both leaders

      Ecommerce and store operations.

      Co-founder & COO 1 meeting

    6. 6

      Use in new deals

      Pilot terms include the measure.

      Product Marketing Lead ongoing

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Run the analysis on one month of one partner's data.

    Why it works

    Build an ROI model with each pilot that tracks assistant users' store visits and basket size (through the loyalty ID the retailer already has) as well as online orders, and present the combined lift to both the ecommerce and store leaders.

    It roughly doubles the visible value of the product and brings a second budget owner into the deal.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Attribution disputes

      Agree the method with the retailer's analytics team before the pilot.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 10

    In some deployments, support questions are nearly a third of what shoppers ask the assistant. Those are questions that would otherwise reach a call centre or chat agent.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Co founder & COO

    First action

    Measure support-question share and answer rate at one partner.

    How to measure it

    Deals with a customer service budget holder

    Now
    –
    Target
    3
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Measure

      Support share and answer rate.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 week

    2. 2

      Package it

      Support topics and reporting.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Build the pitch

      Cost per contact avoided.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    4. 4

      Introduce to service leads

      At existing partners first.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 month

    5. 5

      Report monthly

      Questions answered and handed off.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships monthly

    6. 6

      Price it

      As an add-on or expansion.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Engineering time for reporting
    Owner
    Co founder & COO

    Smallest test

    Show one partner's service lead their monthly support-question count.

    Why it works

    Package support handling (order status, substitutions, store hours, returns) with reporting on questions answered, and pitch it to heads of customer service with a cost-per-contact comparison.

    Customer service has its own budget and clear cost metrics, so a deflection number can fund or expand a deal ecommerce alone would not.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Wrong answers on orders

      Hand off to a human for account-specific issues.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringTechnical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships: own post-launch technical health and adoption for strategic accounts, starting with "a leading national grocer and a major regional grocer"; run account reviews, protect confidential partner data, and support renewals and expansion by showing delivered value.Source
  • 11

    About 700 more store locations are coming, across ten banners. An assistant that shoppers do not know about gets little use, and low use weakens renewal.

    High impactMedium effort First result in first launch Technical Account Manager

    First action

    Build the kit from the most recent launch and ask the next banner to use it.

    How to measure it

    30-day adoption per launch

    Now
    –
    Target
    agreed target per retailer
    By
    each launch

    Steps

    1. 1

      Write the shopper copy

      Email, push, social.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 days

    2. 2

      Design signage

      Shelf, checkout, QR code.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 days

    3. 3

      Record the how-to

      A 60-second video.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 day

    4. 4

      Press template

      Retailer-branded.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    5. 5

      Agree targets

      Adoption goals with each retailer.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 meeting

    6. 6

      Review at 30 days

      Usage against target.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships per launch

    First result
    first launch
    Cost
    $0 beyond print paid by retailers
    Owner
    Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships

    Smallest test

    Use the kit at the next single-banner launch.

    Why it works

    Give each retailer a ready kit: a shopper email and app message, shelf and checkout signage with a QR code, a short how-to video, social posts and a press release template, with a 30-day adoption target.

    Usage in the first month sets the tone for the account. The Technical Account Manager owns adoption, and a standard kit makes every launch faster to run.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Retailers want their own branding

      Make every asset editable and white-label.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringTechnical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships: own post-launch technical health and adoption for strategic accounts, starting with "a leading national grocer and a major regional grocer"; run account reviews, protect confidential partner data, and support renewals and expansion by showing delivered value.Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 12

    The Cooklist consumer app has 11,347 App Store ratings at 4.73 and is part of the 5M+ users Cooklist cites. It is a working product a grocery executive can try in minutes.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 month Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Add the app and its rating to the demo deck and the demo page.

    How to measure it

    Prospects trying the app

    Now
    –
    Target
    50% of demos
    By
    2 months

    Steps

    1. 1

      Add to the deck

      Rating and a QR code.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 hour

    2. 2

      Script the try-it

      Three things to do in five minutes.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 hours

    3. 3

      Send after demos

      Follow-up email with the link.

      Co-founder & COO ongoing

    4. 4

      Test features in the app

      Before retailer rollout.

      Senior AI Engineer ongoing

    5. 5

      Share results

      What tested well, in sales conversations.

      Product Marketing Lead monthly

    6. 6

      Track

      Try-it rate and its link to pilots.

      Product Marketing Lead monthly

    First result
    1 month
    Cost
    $0
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Send the app link after the next five demos.

    Why it works

    Add "try the app" to the demo flow and decks, show the rating as proof of shopper love, and use the app to test new features (budget plans, pantry tracking) before rolling them to retailer deployments.

    Executives believe what they use. A highly rated consumer app also answers "will shoppers actually use this?" and lowers risk for new features.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Prospects confuse the app with the retailer product

      Explain it as the same engine under the retailer's brand.

    Evidence

    • programmable.infoConsumer app: "Cooklist: Pantry Meals Recipes" rated 4.73 from 11,347 App Store ratings, last updated June 29, 2026.Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
  • 13

    cooklist.com has recipe and product browse pages for the consumer app, but they serve no text to search engines. Recipe searches are among the largest food searches online.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 2-3 months Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Count the recipe pages and check which have unique content worth indexing.

    How to measure it

    App installs from recipe pages

    Now
    –
    Target
    2,000 a month
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Audit the pages

      Count and quality of recipe content.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 days

    2. 2

      Render with schema

      Recipe markup and ingredients.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 week

    3. 3

      Add shop links

      "Shop the ingredients" in the app.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 days

    4. 4

      Add to sitemap

      Recipe sitemap file.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 hours

    5. 5

      Prune thin pages

      Noindex duplicates and thin recipes.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 days

    6. 6

      Track

      Sessions, installs and rankings.

      Product Marketing Lead monthly

    First result
    2 to 3 months
    Cost
    About two weeks of engineering
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Render 50 recipe pages and watch impressions for six weeks.

    Why it works

    After server rendering is fixed, render recipe pages with ingredients, steps and Recipe schema, link each to "shop the ingredients" in the app, and add the pages to the sitemap.

    It turns existing content into a steady source of app installs at no media cost, and more app users strengthen the shopper-love story for retailers.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Thin or duplicate recipes

      Index only pages with unique content.

    Builds on

    Evidence

    • programmable.infoCrawler check: cooklist.com serves search engines six visible words and no H1; /sitemap.xml and /robots.txt return the app page instead of real files; /recipes/browse and /request-demo serve no text and /platform/agentic-search four words.Source
    • programmable.infoConsumer app: "Cooklist: Pantry Meals Recipes" rated 4.73 from 11,347 App Store ratings, last updated June 29, 2026.Source
  • 14

    Cooklist is "overwhelmed by demand" and its buyers are grocery executives and product teams. Independent and regional grocers gather at a small number of trade shows.

    High impactMedium effort First result in next event Co founder & COO

    First action

    Pick one event in the next six months and list 30 target banners attending.

    How to measure it

    Pilots sourced from events

    Now
    –
    Target
    3
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Pick events

      One or two per half-year.

      Co-founder & COO 1 day

    2. 2

      Book meetings ahead

      30 target banners.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    3. 3

      Prepare the demo

      Live assistant and case studies.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    4. 4

      Host a dinner

      Regional ecommerce leaders.

      Co-founder & COO 1 evening

    5. 5

      Follow up in 48 hours

      With the proof sheet and launch plan.

      Co-founder & COO 2 days

    6. 6

      Measure

      Meetings, pilots, cost per pilot.

      Product Marketing Lead per event

    Who to approach

    • Groceryshop

      Grocery and retail executives focused on digital and technology.

    • NGA Show

      Independent grocers, the regional chains Cooklist can serve.

    First result
    next event
    Cost
    $10,000 to $30,000 per event
    Owner
    Co founder & COO

    Smallest test

    Attend one event with booked meetings only, no booth.

    Why it works

    Take a small presence at the main grocery trade events with the live Fred Meyer assistant on a screen, book meetings ahead with target banners, and host a dinner for regional grocery ecommerce leaders.

    Regional grocers rarely build their own AI; meeting many of them in one place fills the pipeline for the next 700 stores and beyond.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Booth costs without meetings

      Book meetings first; skip the booth if needed.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringProduct Marketing Lead (Austin): turn product progress into messaging, website updates, launches, sales decks, competitor comparisons, demo narratives and proof points, founder LinkedIn content and case studies; "personally write and ship work every week"; buyers are "grocery executives, product teams, and other enterprise buyers".Source
    • Your websitellms.txt: Cooklist "powers the first agentic AI shopping experience launched by Kroger", live in December 2025 at Fred Meyer, then Smith's, rolling out across Kroger banners in 2026; "Try it live" at fredmeyer.com/mealassistant.Source
  • 15

    Many regional grocers run their online store on a third-party ecommerce platform. Cooklist integrates in about six weeks and is hiring an implementation engineer for strategic partnerships.

    High impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Senior Implementation Engineer

    First action

    List which ecommerce platforms the next ten target grocers use.

    How to measure it

    Grocers live via connectors

    Now
    –
    Target
    5
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Map platforms

      Which platforms target grocers use.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 1 week

    2. 2

      Approach two platforms

      Partnership and data access.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    3. 3

      Build the connector

      Catalog, inventory, cart.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 6 weeks

    4. 4

      Certify and document

      Setup guide and support.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 1 week

    5. 5

      Co-market

      Joint email and webinar to platform customers.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 month

    6. 6

      Track

      Grocers live through each connector.

      Senior Implementation Engineer monthly

    Who to approach

    • Mercatus

      Ecommerce platform used by regional and independent grocers.

    • Rosie

      Online ordering platform for independent grocers.

    • Freshop (Instacart)

      Grocery storefront platform; check partnership terms given Instacart ownership.

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    About two months of engineering per connector
    Owner
    Senior Implementation Engineer

    Smallest test

    Build one connector with one platform and one grocer.

    Why it works

    Build and certify connectors with the grocery ecommerce platforms regional chains use most, then co-market with each platform to its grocer customers as a ready add-on.

    One connector reaches many grocers at once and cuts integration time below six weeks, which matters most for smaller chains without large IT teams.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • A platform owned by a competitor

      Check terms before building and prioritise independent platforms.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringOther open roles: Senior Implementation Engineer, Strategic Partnerships; Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Personalization; Senior AI Engineer (LLMs and agents). Wellfound lists a $3M seed (2021) and 11 to 50 staff.Source

Big bets 3

Larger plays that can change the trajectory.

  • 16

    Instacart already works with Anthropic, OpenAI and Google so grocery conversations can start in their assistants, and Cooklist's homepage already has an "Ask ChatGPT" link. Shoppers increasingly start meal planning in general assistants.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 1 quarter Co founder & CEO

    First action

    Build a prototype assistant app for one partner and test the hand-off to its cart.

    How to measure it

    Monthly carts from AI assistants

    Now
    –
    Target
    10,000
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Prototype

      One assistant, one retailer.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 month

    2. 2

      Agree retailer terms

      Brand, data and attribution.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    3. 3

      Launch with one partner

      Measure hand-off and checkout.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 month

    4. 4

      Extend to other assistants

      Where platform rules allow.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 quarter

    5. 5

      Package for all retailers

      As an add-on.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    6. 6

      Report

      Carts and revenue by assistant.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships monthly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Engineering time and platform reviews
    Owner
    Co founder & CEO

    Smallest test

    A prototype that turns one meal plan into a partner cart.

    Why it works

    Offer retailers an app or connector inside the major AI assistants that hands a meal plan to the retailer's own Cooklist-powered cart, under the retailer's brand and data control.

    It answers Instacart's distribution advantage while keeping the retailer-native promise, and it gives retailers new demand from where shoppers already plan.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Platform rules change

      Build on each assistant's published app frameworks and keep the retailer's site as the checkout.

    Evidence

    • Competitor researchInstacart's white-label Cart Assistant is live at Food Bazaar, Heritage Grocers and Woodman's with Aldi US, Harmons, Save Mart and Stew Leonard's coming, and its consumer assistant Clementine launched on September 9, 2026; Albertsons launched its own assistant in December 2025.Source
    • Your websiteHomepage (as rendered in a browser): "Agentic AI For Grocers"; assistants that plan meals within a budget, track pantry inventory, assemble carts and help after purchase; calls to action "Get Demo" and "Ask ChatGPT"; no retailer is named.Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
  • 17

    Shoppers give the assistant about five times more context per message than a search query. That context (the meal, diet and budget) is what consumer brands pay retail media networks to reach.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 2 quarters Co founder & COO

    First action

    Ask one partner's retail media team whether they would sell an in-assistant format.

    How to measure it

    Partners selling sponsored suggestions

    Now
    –
    Target
    2
    By
    3 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Design the format

      Label, placement, frequency limits.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Set rules

      Relevance first, no sponsored items that break the shopper's diet or budget.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Partner with a media network

      One retailer first.

      Co-founder & COO 1 quarter

    4. 4

      Pilot with brands

      Three CPG brands.

      Co-founder & COO 2 months

    5. 5

      Measure

      Shopper satisfaction and sales lift.

      Senior AI Engineer monthly

    6. 6

      Scale

      To other retailers on the same terms.

      Co-founder & COO 1 quarter

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Engineering and partnership time
    Owner
    Co founder & COO

    Smallest test

    Mock up the format and test with ten shoppers.

    Why it works

    Offer retailers a sponsored-ingredient format inside the assistant (for example, a brand suggested for pasta in a gluten-free plan), labelled as sponsored, sold through the retailer's own media network with revenue shared.

    It creates a new revenue line for the retailer that can pay for the assistant, and uses context no search ad has.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Shopper trust and disclosure rules

      Clear "sponsored" labels, never override dietary limits, follow FTC guidance on native advertising.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
  • 18

    Regional and independent grocers cannot build their own assistants and are the market Instacart's white-label product is targeting now. Cooklist already integrates in about six weeks.

    High impactHigh effort First result in 1 quarter Co founder & COO

    First action

    Define scope and starting price from the last two regional deals.

    How to measure it

    Regional chains signed

    Now
    –
    Target
    10
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Define scope

      What is included and what costs extra.

      Co-founder & COO 2 weeks

    2. 2

      Set pricing

      By store count.

      Co-founder & CEO 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Standardise launch

      Connectors and the launch kit.

      Senior Implementation Engineer 1 month

    4. 4

      Build the page

      Tier, timeline, proof.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    5. 5

      Sell through partners

      Platforms and events.

      Co-founder & COO ongoing

    6. 6

      Review margin

      Cost to launch and serve per chain.

      Co-founder & CEO quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    Productisation time
    Owner
    Co founder & COO

    Smallest test

    Offer the tier to three regional chains in pipeline.

    Why it works

    Create a standard tier for regional chains: fixed scope, platform connectors, the launch kit, and a published starting price, sold through events and ecommerce platform partners.

    A packaged offer shortens sales cycles for smaller buyers and lets Cooklist reach many chains before Instacart locks them in.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Low margin on small chains

      Standardise launch so cost to serve stays low.

    Evidence

    • Competitor researchInstacart's white-label Cart Assistant is live at Food Bazaar, Heritage Grocers and Woodman's with Aldi US, Harmons, Save Mart and Stew Leonard's coming, and its consumer assistant Clementine launched on September 9, 2026; Albertsons launched its own assistant in December 2025.Source
    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • HiringOther open roles: Senior Implementation Engineer, Strategic Partnerships; Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Personalization; Senior AI Engineer (LLMs and agents). Wellfound lists a $3M seed (2021) and 11 to 50 staff.Source

Wildcards 3

Unexpected experiments, each with a cheap way to test it.

  • 19

    Cooklist sees what shoppers ask at 700+ stores: meal missions, budget limits, diets and substitutions. Aggregated with partner approval, this is a view of shopper intent no survey can match.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 1 quarter Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Agree the data categories and minimum group sizes with partners.

    How to measure it

    Trade press citations per report

    Now
    –
    Target
    5
    By
    second report

    Steps

    1. 1

      Agree rules

      Categories, anonymity, approval.

      Co-founder & COO 1 month

    2. 2

      Build queries

      Missions, budgets, diets by region.

      Senior AI Engineer 2 weeks

    3. 3

      Write the report

      Charts and short commentary.

      Product Marketing Lead 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Brief the press

      Embargoed trade briefings.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 week

    5. 5

      Run a webinar

      For grocers and brands.

      Co-founder & CEO 1 hour

    6. 6

      Repeat quarterly

      Same measures over time.

      Product Marketing Lead quarterly

    First result
    1 quarter
    Cost
    $0 beyond staff time
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    Publish one chart in a LinkedIn post.

    Why it works

    Publish a short quarterly report: the top meal missions, how budget and diet questions changed, regional differences, with charts for the press and a webinar for grocers and brands.

    Original data earns trade coverage and invitations to speak, and positions Cooklist as the expert on shopper intent.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Partner data sensitivity

      Only aggregate, approved categories with minimum group sizes.

    Evidence

    • Search resultsGrocery Dive (June 16, 2026): seven grocers across 700+ US stores use Cooklist, with about 700 more locations coming; Wegmans offers it in beta; Cooklist says Kroger banners Fred Meyer, Ralphs, Baker's, Dillons, QFC and Smith's use it (Kroger declined to comment); about half of users complete their order in store; support questions are nearly a third of queries in some cases; messages average about 50 characters versus 10 for search; retailers integrate in about six weeks; Cooklist says it is "overwhelmed by demand".Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
  • 20

    Cooklist's assistant plans meals within a budget and remembers dietary needs. Many grocers serve large numbers of SNAP households and run community programs.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Co founder & CEO

    First action

    Ask one partner's community team whether they would co-design a pilot.

    How to measure it

    Households in the pilot

    Now
    –
    Target
    5,000
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Find partners

      One grocer and one nonprofit.

      Co-founder & CEO 1 month

    2. 2

      Design the mode

      Budget-first plans and substitutions.

      Senior AI Engineer 1 month

    3. 3

      Check rules

      SNAP eligibility and retailer policies.

      Co-founder & COO 2 weeks

    4. 4

      Launch the pilot

      In selected stores.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 month

    5. 5

      Measure

      Savings, repeat use, satisfaction.

      Senior AI Engineer monthly

    6. 6

      Tell the story

      With the partners.

      Product Marketing Lead end of pilot

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Staff time and modest promotion
    Owner
    Co founder & CEO

    Smallest test

    Test budget mode with 50 households through the nonprofit.

    Why it works

    Pilot a budget-first mode with one partner (meal plans within a weekly SNAP-sized budget, low-cost substitutions), co-designed with a food-access nonprofit, and measure money saved and repeat use.

    It shows the product doing good with measurable results, gives grocers a community story, and reaches a large, loyal shopper group.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Program rules on SNAP items

      Work within retailer and program rules and avoid eligibility claims.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteHomepage (as rendered in a browser): "Agentic AI For Grocers"; assistants that plan meals within a budget, track pantry inventory, assemble carts and help after purchase; calls to action "Get Demo" and "Ask ChatGPT"; no retailer is named.Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
  • 21

    Cooklist's mission is to combine a personal shopper, chef and nutritionist, and its assistant remembers diets and goals. Many grocery chains employ registered dietitians in stores.

    Medium impactMedium effort First result in 2 quarters Product Marketing Lead

    First action

    Ask a partner whether its dietitian team would publish three plans.

    How to measure it

    Dietitian-plan sessions per month

    Now
    –
    Target
    20,000
    By
    2 quarters

    Steps

    1. 1

      Find a partner

      A grocer with a dietitian team.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships 1 month

    2. 2

      Build the format

      Plans and swaps the assistant can use.

      Senior AI Engineer 3 weeks

    3. 3

      Publish three plans

      With the dietitians.

      Product Marketing Lead 1 month

    4. 4

      Promote in store

      Dietitian events and signs.

      Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships ongoing

    5. 5

      Measure

      Use and repeat use.

      Senior AI Engineer monthly

    6. 6

      Offer to other retailers

      As a feature.

      Co-founder & COO next quarter

    First result
    2 quarters
    Cost
    Engineering time
    Owner
    Product Marketing Lead

    Smallest test

    One dietitian plan in one store region.

    Why it works

    Let a retailer's dietitians publish meal plans and swaps (heart-healthy, diabetes-friendly, high-protein) that the assistant offers when shoppers ask, credited to the dietitian team.

    It gives grocers a reason to promote the assistant, adds trusted content, and differentiates from generic assistants.

    Risks and how to handle them

    • Health claims

      Dietitians own the content; avoid medical claims.

    Evidence

    • Your websiteHomepage (as rendered in a browser): "Agentic AI For Grocers"; assistants that plan meals within a budget, track pantry inventory, assemble carts and help after purchase; calls to action "Get Demo" and "Ask ChatGPT"; no retailer is named.Source
    • Your websiteAbout page: "$10B+ in transactions", profitable, "5M+ users" across the consumer app and white-label suite; backed by Techstars, Mercury Fund, Matchstick Ventures, Gurtin, RevTech and Two Lanterns; advisors include a former Kroger CTO and the CPO of Amazon Fresh; founders Daniel Vitiello (CEO/CTO) and Brandon Warman (COO).Source
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See every playbook and website review

Independent research. Programmable wrote this playbook from public sources, as they stood on October 18, 2026, and cites them throughout. Cooklist did not commission, review or endorse it, and Programmable is not affiliated with Cooklist. Company and product names are trademarks of their owners, used only to identify them. The ideas are suggestions and opinion, not professional, legal or financial advice, and not statements about how Cooklist runs its business.

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30/60/90 roadmap

What to focus on in each month, and the ideas that carry it.

  1. Days 1 to 308 ideas

    Make the site readable, put public proof on the homepage, ship the proof sheet, launch plan and Instacart competitor comparison, fix the basics; start case studies and founder posts.

  2. Days 31 to 6010 ideas

    Sell new value (in-store lift, support), standardise launches, use the consumer app, open recipe pages, events and platform connectors, plus the intent report, budget and dietitian pilots.

  3. Days 61 to 903 ideas

    Commit to the big bets on the first 60 days of evidence: AI assistant hand-offs, sponsored suggestions and a regional tier.

The research behind the plan

3 research areas, each summarised in a few lines. Open any of them for the full detail.

Customers

What customers say

Customers value meal plans that fit a budget and diet. The most cited problem: grocers cannot build agentic AI in-house quickly.

  • A full cart in one step
  • Shoppers spend time planning meals
  • In their words: “agentic commerce”

Market

Competitive landscape

4 competitors compared: Instacart Cart Assistant, Google Cloud (Gemini assistants), In-house builds and Shoppable recipe vendors.

  • Gap to exploit: Agentic assistants for regional grocers
  • Instacart Cart Assistant: Marketplace owner competing for the same shopper
  • Google Cloud (Gemini assistants): Retailer must build and maintain

Hiring signals

Cooklist is moving from founder-led selling to a repeatable enterprise motion as demand outruns its team.

  • Product Marketing Lead: Messaging, website, launches, sales enablement, founder content and case studies, shipped weekly. Ideas 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12.
  • Technical Account Manager, Grocery Partnerships: Adoption, account reviews, renewals and expansion at a national and a regional grocer. Ideas 7, 9…
  • Senior Implementation Engineer, Strategic Partnerships: Repeatable integrations for new grocers. Ideas 5, 15.

From the team that wrote this playbook

All products
  • ProgrammableAgencyWorking AI systems in days, not quarters (opens programmable.agency in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableInfoAn agent that finds, researches and asks first (opens programmable.info in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableDigitalScreenshots in, an animated product demo out (opens programmable.digital in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableWatchKnow the day a supplier falls out of compliance (opens programmable.watch in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableTalkGet registrants for your events, and know who’s coming (opens programmable.talk in a new tab)
  • ProgrammablePageText what you need, your customer gets a page that works (opens programmable.page in a new tab)
  • ProgrammableCommunityForums with labelled AI members, never empty (opens programmable.community in a new tab)
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