South African grocery retailer Pick n Pay is expanding its technology infrastructure by rolling out an AI-driven store operations platform from Canadian software firm OrderGrid to more than 720 supermarkets. The decision follows a successful pilot program that reduced average in-store picking times for online grocery orders by approximately 30%.
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The OrderGrid platform integrates directly into Pick n Pay’s asap! online delivery ecosystem. Designed to consolidate real-time inventory management, demand forecasting, and order processing, the software helps store personnel identify product gaps on shelves, optimize stock levels, and accelerate order fulfilment.
The retailer already utilizes computer vision technology to detect empty shelves and machine learning algorithms to map efficient picking routes within store aisles. According to executive leadership, the OrderGrid integration significantly enhances efficiency when assembling larger customer baskets.
The rollout marks the final phase of a comprehensive two-year technology overhaul for Pick n Pay. While financial terms of the agreement with Toronto-based OrderGrid remain undisclosed, the investment aligns with rapid growth across the retailer’s digital channels:
See also
- Online Revenue Growth: Pick n Pay reported a 35.4% increase in online sales during the 26-week financial period ending August 30.
- AI Shopping Assistant: The company integrated “Penny,” an AI-driven digital assistant within the asap! app, allowing customers to build shopping lists using text, voice, and visual inputs.
- Subscription Services: To build customer retention, Pick n Pay launched Smart Shopper Pro, a premium loyalty subscription tier priced at R99 per month.
Management noted that online revenue growth is accelerating at a faster pace in the current financial year compared to previous periods, driven by improved order fulfilment speed and expanded digital features.
