Fresh Thyme expands AI-Powered ordering to deli and prepared foods

USA – Fresh Thyme Market has announced the expansion of Afresh Store Ordering, the AI-driven system for fresh food management, to its deli and prepared foods departments.

This development marks an important step in the retailer’s ongoing efforts to enhance inventory accuracy and streamline its fresh food operations across 70 stores by the end of 2024.

“We’ve been using Afresh across many of our departments for a while, and now we’re bringing this efficiency to our busy deli and prepared foods sections,” said Scott Caro, Group Vice President of Merchandising and Marketing for Fresh Thyme.

Afresh is a specialized AI system created to address the specific needs of fresh grocery departments. Since its launch, the tool has enabled stores to make smarter, data-backed decisions about ordering and inventory management.

Fresh Thyme’s use of Afresh now spans across produce, meat, seafood, and food service departments, making it a critical part of their operations.

The deli and prepared foods departments have always faced challenges in inventory management. With Afresh’s AI technology, Fresh Thyme is addressing these challenges head-on.

Using tablets and guided workflows, deli managers can review inventory levels, assess needs, and place orders more effectively.

The AI helps manage intricate factors that affect fresh foods, such as shelf life, ingredient substitutions, and seasonality. It simplifies ordering decisions for products that may be used in different forms or across various recipes.

For example, tomatoes used in both sandwiches and salads require different cuts, and their size can vary. Afresh’s system calculates these variables, ensuring deli teams can place accurate orders for all their ingredients.

“We’re thrilled that Afresh’s unique approach is allowing us to deliver fresher products with less waste,” Caro added.

The use of AI is particularly significant for grocery store chains where in-store production is critical. Afresh’s system has demonstrated the ability to improve inventory accuracy and reduce food waste.

According to Afresh, stores using the system have reported a 10-40% increase in inventory accuracy and a 25% reduction in food waste.

Dain Charette, Chief Revenue Officer of Afresh, expressed excitement about the continued partnership with Fresh Thyme.

“We’re proud to support Fresh Thyme in optimizing their food service operations. Our AI engine takes into account all the variables that can make ordering complex, helping our partners reduce waste and serve fresher products.”

Fresh food has become a significant driver of growth in grocery retail. According to a Deloitte study, 68% of consumers are willing to pay more for fresh food, and 64% of grocery executives see fresh departments as strategically vital for sales growth.

Afresh’s AI technology helps grocery stores meet these consumer demands while optimizing their internal processes.

Stores using Afresh have reported not only higher accuracy but also a 7% faster inventory turnover and a 20% improvement in labor efficiency.

Since its founding in 2017, Afresh has rapidly become a key player in the grocery tech space. The company now serves over 3,000 stores in 40 states, including partnerships with major chains such as Albertsons and Heinen’s.

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