ST. LOUIS– Three years after introducing Simbe Robotics’ autonomous robot Tally to select stores to enhance inventory management, Schnuck Markets, Inc. today announced it is launching the technology in an additional 46 stores, leveraging Tally’s real-time data to improve the shopping experiences in 62 locations.
“The amount of critical data and valuable insights that Tally continues to bring us from a select number of stores is immeasurable,” said Schnucks Vice President of IT Infrastructure and Development, Dave Steck. “By expanding our partnership with Simbe and introducing Tally to more than half our stores, we will improve our in-stock position for our customers and free up our teams from tedious inventory-related tasks, allowing more focus on service. Improving our customer’s experiences has always been deeply important to us and is becoming even more critical to operations in a rapidly changing retail environment.”
Steck added that additional benefits of Tally include:
- 14x more out-of-stock detection than manual auditing and at least 20% reduction in out-of-stock items in stores using Tally
- Increased accuracy of real-time inventory that feeds into Schnucks’ automated replenishment system, allowing for more efficient inventory management
- Streamlined ordering and replenishment, ensuring store shelves are restocked quicker to meet customer needs
- Access to real-time product location data through the Schnucks Rewards app, enabling more efficient shopping trips for customers and stocking for teammates
Schnucks first piloted Tally in July of 2017 and expanded to additional stores in 2018, with robots traversing store aisles two to three times per day and autonomously capturing inventory for approximately 35,000 products per store with each traversal. Both teammates and customers have enjoyed the benefits of improved inventory and productivity in these stores – a result the Schnucks team affectionately refers to as “The Tally Effect.” With this latest expansion, on average, Tally will scan more than 4.2 million products per day – giving Schnucks accurate, frequent and comprehensive insights into product flow and operations. This enhanced partnership with Simbe is an important milestone in Schnucks’ commitment to leveraging new technology to provide customers with the best possible shopping experiences.
“Schnucks has done a tremendous job adopting thoughtful innovation to consistently enrich the shopping experience, share cutting-edge resources with store teams, and ultimately, improve business operations,” said Brad Bogolea, founder and CEO of Simbe Robotics. “Simbe is proud to expand our partnership, now and into the future, and continue to work together across a variety of store sizes and layouts to create a better retail experience through data-driven solutions like Tally. As retailers are recognizing the need for innovation in a unique market landscape, Simbe equips them with the insights they need to remain competitive and keep customers happy.”
About Schnucks
Founded in St. Louis in 1939, Schnuck Markets, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned grocery retailer committed to nourishing people’s lives. Schnucks operates 112 stores, serving customers in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin and employs more than 14,000 teammates. According to Forbes’ 2019 rankings, Schnucks is the 155th largest privately-owned company in the United States and the 16th largest privately-owned grocer. Schnucks is committed to helping communities thrive and as a champion for reducing hunger, the company annually donates more than $16 million in food to pantries that help those in need.
Follow Schnucks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/schnucks and LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/schnuck-markets-inc-/.
About Simbe Robotics
Simbe Robotics is the global leader in automation solutions that give retailers unprecedented visibility and insight into the state of their store environments, while improving inventory and operational challenges. Simbe is a privately held, venture-backed company headquartered in San Francisco, CA and works with major worldwide retailers and brands across the US, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.simberobotics.com or follow the company at @simberobotics.
About Tally™
Tally is the world’s first fully autonomous in-store product auditing solution. Tally works in concert with retail store associates by empowering them with timely information to ensure products are always stocked, in the right place and correctly priced. Using a suite of sensors, the robot operates safely during normal store hours alongside shoppers and employees and doesn’t require any infrastructure changes to the store. Tally’s design is intuitive, friendly, and fits naturally into the retail environment. The robot scans entire stores up to three times per day and autonomously returns to its dock allowing for continuous operation. Combined with Simbe’s cloud-powered software platform, powered by computer vision and machine learning, retailers have unprecedented information and insight into the state of their stores. This information can be used to streamline store performance, maximize customer satisfaction, increase sales, and optimize operational expenditures.
