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Bashas’, Smart & Final employ cloud-based solution to support analytics needs

Grocery retailers partner with Hypersonix on AI-driven platform

Michael Browne, Executive Editor

June 30, 2020

3 Min Read
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Bashas’ chose Hypersonix’s cloud-based solution to support the company’s real-time merchandising, marketing and enterprise analytics needs.Bashas' Family of Stores

Bashas’ Family of Stores has deployed Hypersonix, the artificial intelligence-driven analytics platform offered on a subscription basis for grocery retailers and other high-volume consumer-commerce companies. Bashas’ chose Hypersonix’s cloud-based solution to support the company’s real-time merchandising, marketing and enterprise analytics needs. The deployment follows a successful, 90-day pilot program.

Chandler, Ariz.-based Bashas’ is a third-generation family-owned business founded in 1932 with 130 stores throughout Arizona. With the grocery industry facing unprecedented change and fluctuating demand patterns due to the impact of COVID-19, Bashas’ required an analytics partner that empowered non-technical decision-makers to respond to real-time changes in shopper behavior, availability of merchandise and other trends.

“We look forward to seeing how Hypersonix can identify new growth opportunities from our data,” said Edward N. Basha III, president and CEO of Bashas’. “We believe in innovation and partnership and finding ways to support our teams with advanced tools they need to better serve our shoppers and our community.”

Built by former executives from SAP, PayPal and IBM, the Hypersonix Unified Data Analytics Platform harnesses data-driven insights without dependency on data analysts or information technology professionals. According to the company, Hypersonix brings a Google-like experience to consumer commerce analytics. The company has replicated the simplicity of how one might “Google” something in their personal life, only at the enterprise level.

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The platform’s accessibility means that Bashas’ decision makers can use text or voice to quickly query their data on their computer, tablet or smartphone. Hypersonix has enriched the experience with an intelligent decision agent named “Jarvix,” which leverages the latest innovations in Natural Language Processing (NLP).

“With Hypersonix, Bashas’ becomes one of the first regional grocery chains in the United States to embrace artificial intelligence in such a broad fashion,” said Todd P. Michaud, president and chief customer officer of Hypersonix. “We are thrilled to be working with the team at Bashas’ as they embrace AI-driven analytics as a competitive edge. Like many retailers, Bashas’ is a data-rich environment that has benefited from the actionable insights our platform has brought autonomously to their team.”

 “Hypersonix has an impressive and comprehensive all-in-one solution, ready out-of-the-box and they make it easy to integrate with existing data sources,” said Barry Craft, vice president of merchandising, marketing & procurement for Bashas’. “Hypersonix has the right product capabilities to help grocery retailers like us find new opportunities to better serve our shoppers.”

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Bashas’ is just the latest early grocery retail adopters of Hypersonix’s AI-driven analytics platform. Earlier this month, grocery warehouse chain Smart & Final, with more than 250 stores in the West, teamed with Hypersonix to support the company’s enterprise analytics and digital transformation initiatives. 

“Hypersonix is a key ingredient in leveraging actionable analytics that can be operationalized by our business teams as part of our on-going digital transformation,” said Ed Wong, EVP and chief digital officer at Smart & Final. “We established a great innovation-centric collaboration with Hypersonixwhere we are finding new ways to address our needs in key strategic areas for our business.”

With Hypersonix, Smart & Final has empowered non-technical stakeholders with descriptive, diagnostic, predictive and prescriptive analytics. They have also helped Smart & Final understand how its various customer channels are doing while optimizing each channel to serve the rapidly changing needs of their online and in-store shoppers.

“Quickly turning insight into action is the key to success in today’s competitive retail environment,” said Joe VanDette, group vice president, marketing at Commerce, Calif.-based Smart & Final. “The accessible, conversational nature of Hypersonix’s platform allows our business leaders to leverage that insight directly, without the constraints typically associated with traditional data analysis.”

About the Author

Michael Browne

Executive Editor, Supermarket News

Michael Browne joined Supermarket News in 2018 after serving in managing and executive editor capacities at leading B2B media brands including Convenience Store NewsLicense Global and Travel Agent. He also previously served as content production manager for print and digital in the Business Intelligence division of Informa, parent company of Supermarket News and Nation’s Restaurant News.

As executive editor, Mike oversees the editorial content of supermarketnews.com as well as the monthly print publication. He also directs all content-based brand-related projects including the annual Top 75 Retailers report, Category Guide, Retailer of the Year, research surveys and special reports, as well as podcast and webinar content. Mike has also presented and moderated at industry events.

In addition to the positions mentioned above, Mike has also worked as a writer and/or editor for special projects at American Legal Media (ALM), managing editor for Tobacco International, special projects editor at American Banker • Bond Buyer, and as production editor for Bank Technology News and other related financial magazines and journals published by Faulkner & Gray.

A graduate of Fordham University, Mike is based in New York City, where he was born and raised.

Contact Mike at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

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