Raley’s Expands Expiration-Date Management Software to All Stores

Raley’s has deployed Date Check Pro expiration-date management software across all of its stores after a successful pilot program in the Sacramento, Calif., area last spring.

The grocer was after a technology-based solution to support inventory management, having previously improved its operational efforts for out-of-code items to include thorough associate training and auditing processes to best manage the disposal of such items.

Date Check Pro, from Madison, Wis.-based Pinpoint Software, provides real-time updates and proactive notifications on close-dated inventory that allow Raley’s to provide customers with a fresh, quality experience, and recoup savings on what would have been expired shrink.

The 18-store pilot resulted in a 15 percent reduction in known expired shrink, as well as better classification of shrink as expired loss rather than unknown loss, standardized methodologies to manage category/SKU specific inventory weekly, and visibility coupled with accountability into store-level execution.

“Date Check Pro is not only a great partner in operations, but also a trusted consultant on our existing markdown and expired-item loss prevention strategies,” said Matt Hilbrink, director of asset protection at West Sacramento, Calif.-based Raley’s. “They are genuine advocates for our business, and, in addition to their software, they provide us with new and interesting ways that we can provide our customers with an exceptional experience.”

Privately owned, family-operated Raley’s operates 129 stores under five banners: Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods, Food Source and Market 5-ONE-5. The company is No.  27 on Progressive Grocer’s 2019 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.