SALISBURY, NC - After months, even years, of research on how to optimize the fresh produce supply chain, it seems like Ahold Delhaize has finally cracked the code. This week, the retailer announced that its services company Retail Business Services launched an end-to-end forecasting and replenishment solution that leverages technology from RELEX Solutions to ensure fresher produce is available on store shelves.
“By implementing this game changing solution, Retail Business Services is further enabling Ahold Delhaize USA’s local brands to deliver on their ambitions to be there for their customers anytime, anywhere with the freshest products,” Chris Lewis, EVP of Supply Chain for Retail Business Services, said in a press release. “Not only will it provide local brand stores with the flexibility they need to best serve their customers, it will enable a complete supply chain transformation at a time when customer expectations are rapidly changing the way groceries are bought, sold, and delivered.”
The solution incorporates both artificial intelligence and flexible rules engines, both of which allow brands to customize their solutions to meet shoppers’ needs and keep fresh produce and center store products on store shelves. In addition, the AI tech allows the solution itself to update constantly as it learns from itself and works to offer increasingly sophisticated forecasting decisions.
Already Ahold has implemented the solution in a few of its chain banners. Food Lion and Hannaford have been piloting RELEX for fresh distribution center forecasting and replenishment since 2018—a pilot that has proven to be successful. Now, Ahold is looking to bring its solution to Giant Food, Martin’s, Peapod, and Stop & Shop as well.
Is Ahold’s new solution what the supply chain has been missing all along? And will Ahold’s official launch of its AI solution lead other retailers to follow suit? AndNowUKnow will continue to report.
