News Briefs

DispatchTrack, known as a global leader in last-mile delivery solutions, has launched artificial intelligence (AI)-powered carbon emissions tracking to help companies meet their supply chain sustainability goals. Available as a feature in the DispatchTrack routing console, CO2 tracking enables companies in any market to better understand their existing carbon output on a per-route, per-stop and per-vehicle basis; optimize routes to reduce CO2 output; and gather data to illustrate the impact of their sustainability initiatives.

Fuel consumption in last-mile delivery is one of the largest contributors to emissions in the modern supply chain, as well as one of the greatest costs for delivery companies. Using DispatchTrack’'s AI-powered route optimization engine, companies can discover green delivery options that leverage the most efficient routes with fewer miles driven and less fuel used. By taking into consideration all of a day’s stops and shortening the total distance that drivers have to travel to fulfill their orders, DispatchTrack says that it can help last-mile delivery companies reduce fuel consumption across their fleet by at least 10%.

[Read more: "Engaging With Suppliers to Reduce Emissions"]

DispatchTrack’s new CO2-tracking feature can be added to a customer’s existing DispatchTrack portal. Emissions data is included within routing and reporting screens, allowing users to visualize carbon emissions for each stop, and will dynamically update as routes are changed — all based on configurable emissions expectations according to different vehicle and load types.  

“With the industry’s first AI-based CO2-tracking capabilities, we’re helping our customers double down on their net-zero commitments and achieve their sustainability goals,” said Satish Natarajan, co-founder and CEO of Campbell, Calif.-based DispatchTrack. “By providing visibility into their carbon footprint and route optimization powered by AI, DispatchTrack is helping our customers reduce their emissions with confidence and become even more competitive.”

Dom's Kitchen & Market, which recently revealed a Nov. 1 opening date for its second location in Chicago, is also expanding its digital footprint. The retailer is rolling out a new direct delivery platform and app called Dom’s Go. 

Shoppers within a five-mile radius of the current store at 2730 N. Halsted can now access the app on the Dom’s website and via Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store. Curbside pickup and delivery are available, with free delivery for orders over $150.

In addition to buying grocery items, users can order from Dom’s in-house prepared foods areas, including The Brew, Kitchen and Market. The retailer offers a wide range of heat-and-eat and ready-to-eat offerings, from artisan pizza to plant-based choices.

“The Dom’s Go app is unique because it brings three apps in one: a coffee shop app, a fast casual restaurant app and a grocery store app. You can order your coffee for express pickup or delivery, conveniently order your meals, and/or choose among 8,000-plus items available in our store – all from a single mobile app and online store,” said Marcio Ribeiro, chief digital and information officer.

According to co-CEO Bob Mariano, the new e-comm platform exemplifies the company’s approach to meeting shoppers’ needs.“Service is essential to the Dom’s experience both in-store and online. What makes Dom’s Go unique is that our in-house e-commerce team personally selects items for our customers. It is important to us to maintain a close relationship with our customers while they shop online, so our team includes hand-written notes and contacts customers directly to make sure they get every order right. Dom’s is and always will be customer-centric,” Mariano explained.

As Dom’s Kitchen launches the new e-comm service, it is offering a $10 savings on orders of $50 or more with the code “2DOMGOOD.”

Avery Dennison Corp. has partnered with SAP on an original equipment manufacturer agreement. The agreement allows Avery Dennison to integrate SAP Analytics Cloud, a SAP Business Technology Platform product, into its atma.io connected product cloud to help retailers address food waste.

Through this partnership, businesses that use SAP technologies can access item-level insights from atma.io for their products from manufacturing to distribution to shelf. The transparency provides unique supply chain information, enabling expiration date management and automation.

[Read more: "UN Spotlights Food Loss and Waste"]

Driving these efficiencies is item-level data delivered to the SAP Analytics Cloud dashboard via atma.io and products tagged with unique digital ID technology by Avery Dennison, including RFID. It means that retailers can experience accurate and timely analysis enabling them to automate food expiration management at the store. Grocers can also go deeper into their supply chain and implement “dwell time” measurement to boost the speed with which items move through warehouses and distribution centers so they can arrive in stores with longer shelf lives.

The new partnership will benefit omnichannel retail and can help retailers with click-and-collect, as well as buy online, pick up in store and home delivery – where sending and delivering products with the right expiration date has been a challenge. It can also help during product recalls. 

Max Winograd, VP, connected products at Mentor, Ohio-based Avery Dennison Smartrac, comments: “Accurate real-time supply chain management is more important than ever, and we’re pleased to partner with SAP to help businesses manage their supply chain operations. Food waste is a global problem, impacting people, planet and profits, and we’re greatly encouraged by the remarkable results digital ID technology and atma.io has already achieved with some of our existing retail customers, and look forward to working with SAP so that more can reap these benefits.”

Thermo King, a provider of transport temperature-control solutions, has completed initial testing of its evolve electric trailer with Walmart and Loblaws, as well as with Martin Brower, a Rosemont, Ill.-based supply chain solutions provider for restaurants around the world. During more than 2,500 hours of operation, Thermo King said that the battery-powered refrigerated trailer unit delivered excellent performance, ensuring high-quality climate control to keep food and other goods fresh. With zero direct emissions, Thermo King’s electric trailer technology can help to significantly decarbonize the cold chain.

“With thousands of refrigerated trailers using diesel fuel today, we have the ability to make a meaningful difference when it comes to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions,” said Fernando Cortes, SVP of transportation, Walmart U.S. “We were pleased to work with Thermo King on the testing of our first-ever refrigerated trailer operated primarily on battery electricity in the U.S. as we look for solutions to achieve zero emissions by 2040.”

“By partnering with our customers, we can help accelerate the industry’s transformation to electrification by applying valuable insights from data collected during these trials,” noted Karin De Bondt, president of Minneapolis-based Thermo King Americas. “With more than 2,500 hours of operation, the learnings bring us closer to a commercialized all-electric trailer unit, help our customers prepare their operations, and ultimately, together we can advance the industry forward.”

Thermo King – by Trane Technologies, a global climate innovator – has been providing transport temperature-control solutions for a variety of applications, including trailers, truck bodies, buses, air, shipboard containers and railway cars, since 1938.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. Brampton, Ontario-based Loblaw Cos. Ltd. is No. 11 on The PG 100. 

A new Redner's Fresh Market is slated to open next month in Lewes, Del. The family-run, employee-owned Redner’s Markets, Inc. is planning a Nov. 17 grand opening for the latest store at 12001 Old Vine Blvd., built within a mixed-use development.

Spanning 49,000 square feet, the market will stock more than 45,000 items, including prepared and fresh foods that have become a Redner’s hallmark. Self-checkout areas will be available for shopping convenience, and a fuel kiosk is onsite as well.   

[Read more: "Reinventing Redner’s"]

The Lewes site – which was delayed for a bit during the pandemic – is the 45th Redner’s store. Based in Reading, Pa., the grocer operates Redner’s Markets and Redner’s Fresh Market stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware and also runs 21 quick shops in the region. The independent chain was founded more than 52 years ago.

Fresh Thyme Market is supporting food banks across its footprint with a $350,000 donation to Feeding America. Groups benefiting from the funds include the St. Louis Food Bank, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Second Harvest Heartland, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Forgotten Harvest and Mid-Ohio Food Bank, among others.

Shoppers contributed to the effort by rounding up at the register and purchasing pre-bagged groceries at checkout that go directly to nearby food banks. This was the first year that the “Grab and Give” option was offered.

"The month of September marks Hunger Action Month and to show our appreciation towards the communities in which we serve, we are thrilled to donate funds to help alleviate hunger," said Liz Zolcak, president of Fresh Thyme Market. "With the culminated efforts of both the Fresh Thyme family and our customers, together we can aid in providing our local communities with the resources needed to promote access to proper nutrition."

This is the latest partnership between Fresh Thyme and Feeding America. Earlier this year, the retailer shared that it has given more than $800,000 to Feeding America’s network of food banks via fundraising campaigns. 

Downers Grove, Ill.-based Fresh Thyme Market is No. 91 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.