Wakefern Increases Use of AI Robots
Wakefern Food Corp., a supermarket co-op and parent company of ShopRite, PriceRite and The Fresh Grocer, is adding even more autonomous item-scanning robots from Simbe Robotics to stores.
Wakefern members Inserra Supermarkets, which owns and operates 23 ShopRite stores, and Shop-Rite Supermarkets (SRS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Wakefern that operates 37 ShopRite stores in New York and New Jersey, are expanding their use of Simbe’s Tally technology chainwide for inventory and operation insights, according to a statement from Simbe.
Tally uses artificial intelligence to look for out-of-stocks and misplaced items and helps retail teams focus more on customers and the customer experience.
The move follows earlier pilots and expansions, according to a statement from Simbe. Wakefern began testing Tally at 20 select ShopRite stores in 2022 to provide real-time insights for inventory management and store optimization. In 2023, ShopRite added more Tally robots to stores.
“Because Tally alerts us each time there is a low-stock item or misplaced product on shelves, our retail teams are able to better focus on customers and the guest experience,” said Michael Schoendorf, vice president of operations at SRS, said in the statement.
Inserra Supermarkets was one of the first Wakefern members to implement Tally in-store.
Simbe operates in three continents. In the U.S., the company supplies automated shelf intelligence through Tally to retailers, including BJ’s Wholesale Club, SpartanNash, Schnuck Markets and other Wakefern retailers. To date, nearly 70 ShopRite stores have implemented Tally.
Simbe said its strategic partnership with Wakefern has also fueled the hiring of Ben Saldinger, senior director of sales, who will serve as a dedicated advocate for Wakefern owner groups.
“Wakefern’s success is a testament to their dedication to excellence and forward-thinking innovation, using data and capabilities that only Simbe provides to power best-in-class experiences for store teams and shoppers,” Brad Bogolea, co-founder and CEO of Simbe, said in the statement. “Once retailers know what’s happening inside of stores, they can optimize those locations in ways that fundamentally change their operating model and cost structure. We’re thrilled to continue growing our team and partnership with Wakefern, an exciting milestone on our journey to improve visibility across the retail ecosystem.”