It’s not your mom-and-pop grocery industry anymore. Companies must provide a top-notch customer experience, offer a diverse range of products, and pivot quickly to meet shifting consumer demands.
The rise of e-grocery businesses adds another layer of complexity (and competition) to the industry, making supply chain resilience and innovative Grocery Logistics necessary.
Grocery retailers face unique challenges when handling, storing, and distributing food products. They must equip their warehouses and fulfillment centers with the technology and infrastructure to support high-density goods. Factor in frozen and perishable foods, and the requirements get even trickier.
Adequate storage is at the heart of any grocery company’s material flow process. While keeping foods at the right temperature is imperative, other factors must also be considered. Space optimization and the ability to move items in and out of storage also play a role.
Warehouse automation allows companies to meet these challenges head-on. Once you know what solutions are, you can work toward a storage environment that saves space and acts as a centralized hub for your fulfillment operation.
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS)
Grocery goods are bulky. Even small items are typically packed together in large boxes or crates. That’s why maximizing warehouse space is so hard in grocery fulfillment centers.
An ASRS is one of the most commonly used warehouse solutions that companies have implemented to solve this problem. They’re designed with vertical isles that accommodate high-density items and robotic shuttles that move through the system to retrieve items. The automated shuttle system eliminates the need for forklifts, reducing the space required for storage.
Flexibility is another benefit of ASRS. Shelving units are modular, meaning you can adjust them to accommodate various product sizes. You can also adjust the height of shelves to fit your product line without wasting space. Along with changing the configuration, you can add or remove automated robots to meet higher demand or save energy during slow periods.
These systems are highly effective in refrigerated or frozen warehouses. They provide product insulation and reduce the strain on human workers by eliminating the need for manual retrieval in extreme temperatures. The automated robots can function in any temperature zone. This allows for optimal productivity in 24/7 operations.
In addition to space optimization, ASRS helps move goods from storage to fulfillment zones. They connect with automated conveyors to transport food items quickly and with the utmost care, reducing the chance of product damage.
Automated Cube Storage Solutions
Space optimization is complex if you operate a small warehouse and fulfillment center. Every square inch matters in an environment with limited space, especially when handling high-density grocery products.
Cube storage is a perfect solution for these environments. Unlike ASRS setups that utilize isles, cube storage offers a compact grid system with square cartons that store goods—imagine a giant Rubix cube with items in each little box.
Doing away with isles creates more warehouse space without compromising storage availability. Cube systems also support fast and accurate goods retrieval through automated robots. However, instead of moving through isles, these AI-driven robots glide along the top of the cube, grabbing items and transporting them to the next stage in the fulfillment process. You can configure the system so that frequently used products remain at the top for fast retrieval.
Cube storage is an attractive solution for refrigerated or frozen warehouses. The compact design keeps food at the right temperature while reducing energy consumption. It’s also perfect for a Fulfillment Center that supports an e-grocery operation. The small size allows robots to pick and replenish items quickly, speeding up the entire goods-to-person process.
Major grocery outlets use cube storage systems to provide consistent service and reduce labor costs. They also benefit from spacious warehouses conducive to efficient end-to-end material flow.
Perfecting a Palletizing System
Inbound and outbound processes are no joke in grocery fulfillment centers. High-density goods are heavy, awkward, and take up lots of space. An innovative palletizing system eliminates these problems by supporting seamless goods receipt, storage, and shipping.
Imagine if your warehouse employees didn’t have to touch the goods coming into your facility on pallets. This would significantly reduce the physical strain needed to do their job and reduce the risk of workplace injuries. Automated palletizing makes this a reality. This technology incorporates AI-driven robots that do all the heavy lifting. They can de-palletize goods, log them in the warehouse inventory system, and integrate them into the material flow––no errors or messy receiving docks.
Palletizing systems have sensors that detect the size of goods and produce a logical space-efficient configuration. Robotic arms stack items based on the configuration and ensure goods are packed tightly. This eliminates the chance of wasted space, which is common when pallets are stacked manually. It also secures food items so they’re not damaged.
Automation works on the outbound side, too. AI-driven robots sort and stack wrapped items on pallets and load orders onto trucks. Sensors ensure maximum space optimization during the loading process, which improves shipping efficiency.
Like ASRS, automated palletizing allows for customization so you can create a system that meets your specific needs. Several palletizing robots are on the market, each with different specs. You can add or remove these modular tools to maintain complete control over your goods receipt and shipping processes.
Warehouse Management Software (WMS)
Regardless of your storage solution, you’ll need warehouse management software in place. This is the brain of your Food Logistics operation and plays a vital role in space optimization.
Innovations in warehouse management software have revolutionized the way fulfillment centers function. Integrating artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital blueprints, and data tracking allows you to get the most out of your storage solutions.
The capabilities of WMS are vast. It gives you complete control over your warehouse, allowing you to streamline every aspect of your grocery logistics system. This is important when storing and handling products with hard expiration dates.
WMS provides an overview of your inventory and reorganizes automated storage systems to align with demand fluctuations. This maximizes space utilization and eliminates congestion throughout the goods-to-person process.
If you use an automated storage and retrieval system or cube storage, WMS manages the autonomous robots to ensure no unused spaces. This provides more storage capacity and allows you to add or remove aisles in your warehouse.
Facility simulation is another feature of WMS that benefits space optimization. The software can analyze your current warehouse and show you a simulation of a more efficient layout. This technology often prevents companies from investing in a costly expansion by showing how to use their existing space better.
It’s All About What YOU Need
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all storage solution in the grocery industry. Most warehouses and fulfillment centers are set up to align with a company’s unique needs and long-term goals.
The good news is that automated storage technology can be custom-tailored to your specific grocery logistics system. This takes the headache out of upgrading your storage infrastructure and helps you create a flexible operation that’s ready to handle business growth.
Read more:
Warehouse Solutions for High-Density Storage in Grocery Logistics