Digitalization advances in local commerce with tools and trends presented at Anuga Select Brazil
The digital transformation, accelerated during the pandemic, has ceased to be a temporary solution and has become a structural part of the daily routine of small retailers, specialty shops, and restaurants in Brazil. Social distancing demanded new service formats, and consumers came to see it as natural to do everything in the palm of their hand from ordering and paying to tracking purchase status and receiving quick responses. The habit stuck, technology advanced, and the public became even more demanding.
Today’s consumer seeks convenience: they want a delivery service that’s easy to activate, the ability to accumulate points in an app, and access to multiple payment methods such as card, contactless payment, and QR codes. Even neighborhood pizzerias, traditionally associated with manual service, began investing in digitalization through WhatsApp ordering, production automation, and integrated systems. This shift goes beyond regulatory requirements and responds to the expectation of a smooth, standardized consumption journey in any establishment. For small businesses, this means competing on equal footing with large chains without losing their local identity.
This change is also driven by the rapid growth of delivery. According to data from IFB, the foodservice segment generated around R$ 145 billion in 2023, fueled precisely by new digital service formats and the consolidation of apps and management platforms. Consumer behavior has migrated online, and there is no turning back making digitalization an operational necessity for businesses of any size.
Advantages of Digitalization in the Daily Routine of Small Businesses
Digitalizing means reorganizing operations, reducing costs, expanding customer relationships, and enhancing the shopping experience. For small establishments, this translates to increased efficiency even with lean teams and maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly fast-paced market. Digital menus streamline processes, while integrated systems connect orders, payments, and production in real time. These tools also enable personalization, automated suggestions, and higher average ticket value.
Digitalization has moved beyond QR code menus and now encompasses purchasing supplies, inventory control, cash flow, procurement, payments, HR, marketing, and delivery. Integrating these processes reduces errors, streamlines routines, and frees entrepreneurs to focus on strategy and customer service.
The data confirms this progress. According to a survey by Abrasel, 83% of establishments already use software to control sales. Another 75% employ financial management tools, and 67% use solutions specifically for delivery. Among small businesses, adoption continues to grow as tools become more accessible and intuitive, showing that digital transformation is steadily expanding and far from reaching its peak.
Startups and Trade Shows Accelerate Sector Modernization
The innovation movement is not limited to large chains it has already reached small retailers and specialty shops, which are modernizing their operations with support from startups and automation platforms, many of which were showcased at Anuga Select Brazil. These solutions enable integration of inventory, sales, customer loyalty, and payments into a single tool, bringing neighborhood commerce closer to technologies that once seemed out of reach.
In this scenario, technology does not replace the human touch. By organizing processes and eliminating repetitive tasks, it frees entrepreneurs to build relationships, personalize service, and strengthen ties with the community preserving the emotional connection that makes neighborhood commerce so important in consumers’ daily lives.
At Anuga Select Brazil, all this evolution is reflected in accessible solutions that support small businesses from proprietary delivery systems and self-service tools to integrated payment methods and platforms that connect physical and digital environments. The trade show also serves as a hub for trends, benchmarking, and partnership opportunities, allowing business owners to envision the future and find practical ways to implement it.
Secure your spot at the next edition of Anuga Select Brazil and put your business at the forefront of industry transformation.
