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Tops takes aim at improved in-stocks

Chainwide rollout planned for new inventory management system

Russell Redman

January 18, 2019

2 Min Read
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Tops Friendly Markets is bolstering its capabilities in inventory control and replenishment.

The Williamsville, N.Y.-based grocer plans to deploy the Itasca Magic computer-generated ordering, inventory optimization and direct-store delivery receiving system at all 159 of its stores in upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and Vermont.

According to Ron Ferri, executive vice president of operations at Tops, the supermarket chain expects to complete the implementation by early 2020.

With the Itasca Magic solution, Tops said its stores will gain more inventory control and see a better in-stock position, in turn improving service to customers. At the same time, stores will be able to right-size their investment in inventory while limiting shrink.

Ferri said Tops conferred with and visited several Itasca Magic users before deciding to adopt the system.

“Itasca has proven itself capable of managing and automating replenishment in complex business environments,” he explained. “We’ve found that Itasca has the most comprehensive solution to address our current needs and to be the foundation for future endeavors.”

An intuitive solution, Itasca’s Magic follows store operational flow while limiting human intervention in demand forecasting and exception management. The system tracks inventory changes from receiving, front-end sales, inter/intra store transfers, adjustments and physical inventory counts as they happen and optimizes replenishment with sophisticated ordering algorithms.

Related:Tops set to debut curbside pickup

“The system will generate store orders in under two seconds and utilize data to generate orders,” Ferri said. “In addition, the solution will assist in optimizing our inventory to ensure on-shelf availability to our customers.”

Ferri also cited Magic’s Perpetual Inventory functionality, which can aid Tops in omnichannel efforts.

“Their real-time Perpetual Inventory capability will allow us to ensure our customers have the same experience online as they do in stores, which is important to any retailer’s digital presence,” he noted.

Going forward, the Perpetual Inventory feature also could give Tops’ online grocery customers more transparency into item availability. “Yes, we do anticipate this functionality in the future,” Ferri said.

According to West Des Moines, Iowa-based Itasca, Magic can help lift sales by reducing out-of-stocks, lower inventory levels and raise inventory turns, improve freshness and decrease shrinkage for perishables, and sharpen efficiency in store shelf-stocking.

“We’re very eager to deliver the same outstanding results to Tops Markets that we have to our other long-time customers,” said Jeff Kennedy, president of Itasca Retail Information Systems.

Read more about:

Tops Friendly Markets

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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