For too long, store teams in supermarket fresh departments have had to rely on perpetual inventory and demand planning solutions that can’t handle the complexities of fresh categories. Department managers know that a box of cereal can’t be treated the same as a box of blueberries, but the technology they have to use doesn’t. A lack of fresh-first tech leads to inaccurate inventory and forecasting, time-consuming and frustrating daily tasks, and inconsistent product quality and in-stock rates. Systems built for center store simply don't work for perishables and grocers that lack the right solution struggle to have truly competitive fresh departments.

Luckily, there’s a solution! The Afresh platform drives transformation in grocery store fresh departments by taking a new and innovative approach that unifies previously disjointed processes from forecasting and inventory to store operations. Here are a few reasons supermarkets need AI-driven solutions from Afresh:

1. Reduced shrink that doesn’t result in higher stockouts
   Keeping shelves stocked by ordering excess product isn’t efficient or cost-effective. This approach leads to heavy backrooms, unnecessary waste, and reduced shelf life for customers.
2. Streamlined ordering system built for fresh-specific variables and tasks
   Eliminate guesswork and fragmented processes with a platform that’s built for perishables, including bulk, non-UPC’d, and seasonal products. The Afresh app uses familiar workflows that store teams pick up quickly and adhere to at a rate of 97%.
3. Recommendations that store teams can trust
   Fresh-first systems help individual stores stock what customers buy, taking into account sales, seasonality, display sizes, and unique circumstances. Afresh combines store-level data, real-time intelligence from produce managers, and a count-based approach that gives teams the data they need to make smart ordering decisions and become experts in fresh.
4. Store-level visibility that provides chainwide insights and improvements
   Data and reports specific to fresh department performance help executives, produce buyers, and store managers build strategies that drive improvements across the entire chain and help stores meet the growing demand for fresh.
5. Progress toward sustainability goals that impacts every community each store serves
   Fresh is the future but because systems in place lack the flexibility needed for perishables, U.S. grocery retailers throw away about 30% of food every year. This impacts the planet in multiple ways, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, wasting resources used to grow and transport the items, and filling landfills with food that could have been enjoyed.

Want to be the best in fresh? Get the playbook here.

For decades, supermarkets have been building more prominent fresh departments without adding technology that’s attuned to the unique challenges of perishable food. Afresh is built from the ground up to streamline ordering, forecasting, replenishment, and store operations across grocery store fresh departments. Using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and input from store teams, Afresh empowers store teams to make stronger decisions. As a result, customers get fresher product and consistently full displays while grocers reduce waste and improve profits.

With fresh-first technology in every store, grocers gain a competitive edge that turns fresh departments into a destination that drives customer retention. Request a demo today.