Madison Foods Receives Liviri’s Independent E-Grocer Grant

Montana food retailer now has resources to boost operational efficiency of click-and-collect program

11/13/2023

Based in Ennis, Mont., Madison Foods is the only grocery store in the Madison County area, serving 1,000 year-round residents and more than 4,000 additional seasonal residents during the summer.

Reusable-packaging solution provider Liviri has chosen the recipient of its first-ever e-grocer grant program: Madison Foods, a locally owned independent grocer in Ennis, Mont. Liviri created the grant program to award resources to enable an independent grocer to achieve operational excellence in, and optimize supply chain management of, the e-grocery sector.

In business for 20 years, Madison Foods is the only grocery store in the Madison County area, serving 1,000 year-round residents and more than 4,000 additional seasonal residents during the summer. Customers living within a 50-mile radius use the grocer's curbside pickup and delivery options, since the grocer offers the only delivery option in the vicinity. Because of higher demand for its delivery service during the warmer months, it’s imperative for the store to keep perishable foods in a temperature-safe zone for long periods of time.

“We’re honored to present Madison Foods with a grant package valued at over $7,000 to help them increase their e-grocery operational efficiencies and save them time and resources,” said Ken Longval general manager at Fort Collins, Colo.-based Liviri. “Madison Foods is passionate about doing everything they can to serve their community, and it is evident they are ready to take their operations to the next level.”

Liviri chose Madison Foods to receive the grant because it demonstrated a strong need to boost business operational efficiencies for both storing and delivering perishables. The grocer is currently using a basic residential refrigerator to keep groceries cold, and outdated coolers to transport perishable foods. While the team at the store works hard to keep up with demand, these operational constraints affect the number of deliveries that it’s able to fulfill. Madison Foods sought an improved system for storing perishable food orders, as well as a better way to keep the foods at the right temperatures during deliveries or when storing orders for long periods of time.

“Right now, we have to make multiple trips in order to keep groceries cold during transit, which is not cost-effective,” admitted Madison Foods owner Chris Gentry. “With Liviri’s Sprint totes and a better storage system, we’ll be able to store food for significantly longer times, allowing us to deliver to more of our customers in one trip without worrying about spoilage.”

Madison Foods will receive from Liviri $5,000 cash (intended to help cover costs to build up tech platforms, freezers, fridges, and training); Liviri Sprint50 Insulated Totes; Sprint50 Ice Packs and Dividers; and two picking carts. The Liviri Sprint line of durable, reusable totes feature high-performance insulation that provides flexible options for chilled storage, keeping contents in the safe temperature zone for 12-plus hours and reducing the need for on-site and in-transit refrigeration. The products also help eliminate wasteful single-use packaging, for a more sustainable last-mile solution.