Wisconsin grocer taps data management tech to spur growth

Wisconsin-based grocer Festival Foods is tapping Symphony RetailAI Master Data Management in order to centralize store-level responsibilities and build a data foundation to support its growth.

The grocer, which operates about 40 stores, aims to optimize technology, run more effective and cost-efficient retail promotions and improve productivity as well, according to a press release.

"As we grow, we're committed to doing so in a way that leverages leading-edge technologies with AI and machine learning, while staying true to our customer-focused culture," Jeff Main, vice president, IT, Festival Foods, said in the release. "In fact, culture was our number-one priority and Symphony RetailAI certainly fit that requirement with its roots in grocery. Plus, the breadth of Symphony RetailAI's offering was exactly what we were looking for, covering everything a grocery retailer needs today. Furthermore, because Symphony RetailAI's platform is cloud-based, it's going to eliminate IT management headaches you'd typically have with an on-premise solution. Instead, we'll have a more reliable system across the board, with less downtime and more confidence in the integrity of our data."

Symphony RetailAI Master Data Management is expected to be a productivity driver for Festival Foods, with simplified vendor onboarding and the ability for suppliers to manage their data and collaborate within the shared insights platform.

"Our initial goal of improving promotions led us to a broader understanding of the importance of a data foundation," Rick Baranczyk, business analytics senior director, Festival Foods, said in the release.

"The confidence in our analytics will drive better decision making and allow us to be nimbler as we grow the business. We're confident that with this master data management solution in place, we'll soon be able to optimize our promotional spend to promote the right products at the right time in the right markets. That single version of the truth will also eventually allow us to ensure the best assortments are on the shelf in each market."