The grocery industry is facing pressure from all sides. Consumers have been hit hard by the pain of inflation, while competition among those in the grocery space is intensifying. All the while, companies are navigating the digital landscape and launching new ecommerce options.
Even small missteps can put profit at risk.
That’s why those in the grocery space are turning to robotic automation. Robotic solutions from Geekplus not only improve efficiency and agility in the warehouse, but they also help grocers reinvent the way they serve their customers.
Here are three ways implementing a robotic automation system from Geek+ can improve grocery warehouse operations.
According to a recent survey, more than 40% of leaders in the grocery industry say finding and retaining workers is the most significant problem for their business. Turnover among warehouse staff is a constant issue for grocers.
High turnover, combined with rising wages, results in budget shortfalls and critical inefficiencies for many grocers.
To solve labor shortage issues, grocery warehouses are investing in robotic solutions. In fact, 20% of grocers say that investing in workforce tech is a top priority for their organization. Robots from Geek+ are able to operate 24/7. When their batteries run low, they need just 10 minutes to self-charge, and then they’re right back to work.
You can get much faster throughput, too. With the help of Geek+ robots, your team can pick 300-600 units per hour at a single workstation.
Typical grocery stores have between 30,000 and 50,000 SKUs of varying shapes and sizes. Manually tracking all of that inventory leads to mispicks, disorganized SKUs, and disappointed customers. Geek+ robotic solutions enable grocers to handle all the SKUs they need in one organized and efficient system. The robots support picking from totes, shelves, and pallets. Items of all shapes and sizes work with the Geek+ system.
For example, with the RoboShuttle Tote-to-Person system, a large robot grabs totes from shelves that reach up to 12 feet high. Then, a smaller robot delivers the tote directly to the picking station.
For larger items, we also have Pallet-to-Person, mixed SKU options. Because Geek+ has the largest portfolio of Goods-to-Person systems in the industry, we’ll be able to find the right one for you.
With Geek+, inventory is organized in a way that maximizes efficiency. High-demand products are placed at the front of the warehouse and low on the shelf to reduce the distance traveled by the robots. That means grocers can fulfill orders faster and keep their customers happy.
Nearly 30% of food in American grocery stores goes to waste, much of it due to spoilage.
Perishables have long been a challenge for grocery stores because they require special handling and precise temperatures in order to stay fresh. Slow fulfillment processes make the problem worse. Geek+ robots are fast and efficient. They deliver up to 350 totes per hour to each picking station. Workers stay stationary, so there’s no walking or forklift operation to slow down the process.
Geek+ robots are also able to operate in areas where perishables are stored, at temperatures as low as -18°C. If they notice operations are slowing down, grocers can adjust their fulfillment capacity easily by adding more Geek+ robots.
Today’s grocers have the opportunity to make their warehouses operate more efficiently than ever before. Nearly one-third of industry leaders say that robotics and automation are going to drive the most growth in the industry in the coming months. Grocers who are ready to take advantage of this technology can start now. Geek+ solutions can be deployed in as little as two weeks.
Explore all the robots from Geek+ and contact sales@geekplus.com to get started today.