Weis uses Invafresh to streamline fresh produce operations
Weis Markets partners with fresh grocery platform Invafresh to provide “the freshest foods” possible to its customers while refining its product demand projections and reducing food waste.
The partnership will streamline fresh produce operations at the grocer’s 198 stores in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, by developing demand forecasting, in-store production planning, food traceability, recipe management and management cutting tests in all fresh departments.
Toronto-based Invafresh notes that growing consumer demand for fresh food has driven sales up during the pandemic, but higher costs, coupled with labor shortages and competition, have pushed food retailers to automate certain processes by implementing native fresh technology.
“Our collaboration with Invafresh will help us automate processes, such as ordering, production and inventory management, to meet customer expectations with the freshest food while more accurately predicting demand. We expect this platform to reduce food waste and improve efficiency,” according to Bob Gleeson, senior vice president of merchandising and marketing at Weis, which operates supermarkets in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey. , New York, West Virginia and Virginia.
The Invafresh Fresh Retail platform will help improve the lifecycle of Weis’ fresh food operations, from purchasing to planning prepared food production, using visibility and quality control to maximize freshness and provide a consistent customer experience. The platform integrates artificial intelligence and machine learning to refine operations while reducing waste.
“We are delighted to extend our relationship with Weis Markets, a customer who has used our balance management solution for many years,” Invafresh President and CEO Tim Spencer said in a statement. “We are now focused on helping Weis optimize its fresh produce store operations – from deli to bakery, produce to meat, and everything in between – to ensure the freshest, highest quality produce are available at the right levels when the consumer wants them.
“Our native fresh produce platform helps food retailers deliver on their customer promise of quality and consistency while controlling margins and meeting their food sustainability goals in Fresh,” added Spencer.
In addition to streamlining operations, Invafresh’s program has demonstrated its ability to reduce waste in fresh produce. For example, the solution helped regional grocer Price Chopper/Market 32 reduce stock-outs and ensure shelf availability, avoiding 20 tons of fresh food waste every week. Price Chopper/Market 32 also reduces its methane emissions from landfills, which reduces its carbon footprint and helps fuel a more sustainable circular economy.