Dive Brief:
- Artificial intelligence technology company Afresh announced Tuesday the launch of a suite of technologies that add production planning and inventory management capabilities to its existing replenishment solutions.
- Called the Fresh Store Suite, it includes a new period-ending inventory management tool and an AI-powered production planning tool alongside the latest version of Afresh’s inventory management, demand forecasting and ordering solution, as well as its API for integration into retailers’ systems.
- The launch marks a move from Afresh expanding its solutions to cover store replenishment, Afresh CEO Matt Schwartz said.
Dive Insight:
With the launch, Afresh’s grocery partners will have a unified management system for fresh foods, from inventory and demand forecasting to ordering and production planning.
“[Previously] we would say, ‘Here’s how many cantaloupes to order.’ Now we’re saying, ‘Here’s how many cantaloupes to order, but also here’s how many cantaloupes you should cut into cubes for your fruit bowls and fruit cups in the store,’” Schwartz said.
This inventory solution tech aims to help grocers reduce food waste, improve freshness, simplify work for store associates and boost profitability, according to a press release.
Fresh categories are a key way that traditional grocers are looking to stand out from the likes of Walmart; however, they face operational challenges in their efforts to increase their fresh offerings, Schwartz said. Afresh’s expansion stemmed from feedback it received from grocery clients who said they wanted not just ordering tools but also production planning solutions that could simplify complex decision-making for them, Schwartz said.
Grocers can use Afresh’s tools across their produce, meat, seafood, deli, bakery and prepared foods categories, according to the announcement.
Afresh added a scanner device that can access its technology, Schwartz said. The technologies are also available on iOS, Android, web and mobile devices.
This is the biggest product launch to date for Afresh, according to the announcement. Founded in 2017, Afresh counts Albertsons, Meijer, Stater Bros. Markets, Fresh Thyme, Brookshire’s Grocery Company and Smart & Final among its grocery clients. Afresh claims that it has prevented over 100 million pounds of food waste while helping grocers achieve a 25% shrink reduction, 3% sales uplift and 7% higher inventory turns.
The launch comes at a time when grocers are increasingly turning to technology and AI to tackle operational challenges within their fresh categories. While a third of retailer survey respondents said they used technology solutions in 2024 for fresh food inventory and demand production planning, another 23% said they plan to use this technology in 2025, according to research by FMI — The Food Industry Association.
