In 2022, Sam’s Club began a national deployment of automated inventory analytics robots that operate heavily using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In recent years, the food industry has faced challenges to stay ahead of the curve. Implementing a data-driven approach leveraging emerging technologies has never been more critical to remain successful. As the price of food, fuel, and housing continues to rise, consumer behavior is becoming increasingly unpredictable, which can lead to overbuying and overproducing of materials and finished goods.

As a result, more businesses are beginning to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to discover valuable insights and gain a strategic advantage over their competitors.

Case in point: AI-powered algorithms can help supply chain professionals to analyze significant amounts of transportation and distribution data to accurately make predictions about future demand by their customers and manage inventory levels. Additionally, AI technology can be used to ensure delivery times in tight windows by the collection of real-time data originating from sources such as weather and traffic reports. Overall, the implementation of AI technology allows food shippers to optimize their operations, reduce waste, and improve the customer experience (CX).

Automated Inventory Analytics Robots

Sam’s Club, a leading membership warehouse club and division of Walmart Inc., is at the forefront of market leading technologies. In 2022, the membership-only retail giant unveiled their chain-wide implementation of Inventory Scan. This innovative technology, developed in collaboration with Brain Corp and Tennant Company, was integrated into their existing fleet of robotic scrubbers. This extensive rollout represents Brain Corp’s most ambitious and rapid deployment of technology to date. Additionally, it marks the global debut of their inventory scanning technology in a commercial setting.

Brain Corp. is the global leader in robotic AI software that powers the largest fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) operating in commercial public spaces. Global OEM partners use the company’s cloud-connected platform, BrainOS, to create scalable, self-driving robots that are used by end customers to clean floors, move inventory, and sense environmental data to enable the digital transformation of physical workflows.

“Sam’s Club is hyper-focused on making sure our members have a seamless shopping experience, so any time-saving innovation we can implement is significant,” says Todd Garner, Vice President of In Club Product Management at Sam’s Club. “By adding Inventory Scan to our current fleet of robotic scrubbers, we obtain critical inventory data that previously was time consuming to obtain. This intelligence allows us to proactively manage our clubs in an efficient manner. Inventory Scan assures items are available and easy to locate in the club, freeing up time for our associates to focus on members and the shopping experience they deserve.”

The state-of-the-art scanning extension was seamlessly integrated with the approximately 600 autonomous floor cleaning machines previously deployed at various Sam’s Club stores nationwide. These cutting-edge structures, powered by Brain Corp’s BrainOS artificial intelligence system, offer unparalleled independence and user convenience.

Club managers are delivered data from these cloud-connected Inventory Scan towers as they autonomously roam about the stores. These reports are then used to provide insights such as verification of pricing accuracy, planogram compliance, product stock levels, and product localization, thus eliminating waste of time, reducing waste, and inventory loss.

“The speed and efficiency of the deployment of this next generation retail technology with Sam’s Club is a testament to the strength of our team,” said David Pinn, CEO at Brain Corp. “Through the use of Inventory Scan, Sam’s Clubs across the country are able to access a trove of critical inventory data in real time, which they can use to better inform decision making, run their clubs more efficiently and provide a better in-club experience for their members.”

This article was originally featured in Edition 3 of 2023 of Food Chain Digest magazine. Download the digital version for FREE today!

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