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Wakefern eyes sharper on-shelf execution

Grocery cooperative to extend CB4 technology rollout at ShopRite, Price Rite

Russell Redman

September 15, 2021

3 Min Read
ShopRite-Price_Rite-store_banners-Wakefern.jpg
CB4’s Spotlight solution will help ShopRite and Price Rite store managers to correct costly execution problems in their stores.Wakefern Food Corp.

Wakefern Food Corp. plans to roll out CB4 store execution technology across its ShopRite and Price Rite Marketplace chains.

New York-based CB4 said yesterday that Wakefern’s expanded deployment comes after a successful pilot of the CB4 app at some ShopRite stores last year. CB4’s Spotlight solution leverages artificial intelligence and machine-learning technology to enable store managers to correct costly execution problems in their stores. Spotlight’s algorithms detect when the most in-demand products at each store aren’t selling at optimal levels, and then the solution sends store or category managers timely recommendations to address issues on the floor and improve the customer experience.

“Our initial test of CB4 at several ShopRite supermarkets provided valuable insights to complement our existing operations without burdening our store teams,” Cheryl Williams, chief information officer at Wakefern, said in a statement. “We are pleased to be expanding CB4 throughout ShopRite and Price Rite Marketplace and anticipate much success.”

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The nation’s largest retailer-owned grocery cooperative, Keasbey, N.J.-based Wakefern has nearly 280 ShopRite supermarkets in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware and Maryland and 62 Price Rite value-focused grocery stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Maryland.

Related:Cub Foods eyes crisper produce operations

For each ShopRite and Price Rite store, the CB4 app provides a list of SKUs unique to its their selling pattern and operating conditions to help prevent inventory discrepancies that can impact replenishment and sales, according to CB4. Once alerted, store teams can make “quick fixes” such as updating the inventory management system, printing a new label or taking items out of back stock, CB4 explained, noting that such adjustments can help meet customer demand and lift sales. The company added that its solution also provides a high per-minute ROI, allowing store associates to spend less time each week tracking price mismatches, out-of-stock items, inventory snags and other common back-end issues.   

On its website, CB4 posted survey results finding that 64.8% of grocery shoppers consider “product findability” as extremely important, and 81.9% left the store without buying what they came in for in the first place. The latter situation has a consequence: 48.9% of grocery shoppers said they go to a local competitor when they can’t find the products they want.

Key issues reported by managers across all Spotlight-enabled stores include poor visibility (cited by 34%), left in stockroom (20%), out of stock (16%), allocation problems (10%), price tag/label not properly applied, and price adjustments (2%).

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CB4 said the corrections prompted by its technology can lift retailer sales by up to 2%.

“COVID-19 has been — and is still — a challenge and an opportunity for brick-and-mortar retail. Stores are very busy, and supply issues can be challenging. So it can be difficult to know what needs attention now,” commented CB4 CEO Yoni Benshaul. “Wakefern’s results using CB4 to solve this challenge while delivering revenue and customer satisfaction are amazing to see.”

Other grocery retailers enlisting CB4’s platform include Associated Food Stores, Weis Markets, Lidl and Festival Foods, as well as fuel/convenience store chain Kum & Go. The company, which also serves the specialty and apparel retail market, said it has tripled the number of stores using its solution between 2020 and 2021.

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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