Stater Bros. Rolls Out Afresh in All Produce Departments
Following a successful pilot, Stater Bros. is implementing Afresh’s store ordering solution across all of the Southern California grocer’s produce departments. The deployment replaces Stater Bros.’ previous manual ordering processes with Afresh’s AI-powered solution, which delivered significant improvements during the pilot. Notably, the produce teams saw reduced overstock, prevented excess inventory from sitting in the backroom, and ensured that the sales floor remained freshly stocked. During the pilot, stores experienced improved sales performance while also reducing waste.
“With Afresh, our produce managers have a tool that can assist them in placing orders that reduce waste and increase shelf life,” noted Bertha Luna, Stater Bros.’ SVP retail operations. “The result is fresher produce at affordable prices, which translates into happier and more loyal customers.”
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“We’re excited to partner with a standout regional grocer like Stater Bros,” said Dain Charette, chief revenue officer at San Francisco-based Afresh, which also partners with such food retailers as Albertsons, Heinen’s, Bashas, Cub Foods, and Smart & Final. “Our pilot has been an incredible partnership, thanks to our teams’ collaboration and Stater Bros.’ commitment to innovation and supporting their store teammates. We’re honored to be a part of their digital transformation and deliver a clear and meaningful ROI. With this chainwide rollout, we can’t wait for these benefits to be felt in every Stater Bros. store.”
Stater Bros. operates 169 supermarkets in Southern California and employs 18,000 associates. The Modesto, Calif.-based company is No. 54 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named Stater Bros. among its Top Regional Grocers in 2024.
