Albertsons Unveils Innovative Supply Chain Forecasting Tool

Albertsons Companies is introducing a new forecasting tool for its distribution centers, developed in collaboration with tech company

Afresh. Technologies. The Boise, Idaho-based retailer will implement the Afresh DC Forecasts across various departments, including produce, meat, seafood, deli, and food service, in 17 of its distribution centers.

Courtesy of Afresh

This AI-powered forecasting tool is designed specifically for fresh produce, automatically compiling relevant purchasing data to assist distribution center buyers. The tool takes into account numerous demand drivers that are crucial for fresh items, such as promotions, store displays, seasonal trends, and holidays. Traditionally, DC buyers spend hours each week synthesizing multiple data sources and manually calculating forecasts; however, Afresh DC Forecasts automates this entire process.

Albertsons has been partnered with Afresh since 2022 and expanded this collaboration in 2023 to include additional key fresh departments, such as meat, seafood, deli, and prepared foods.