Afresh Launches Industry's First AI-Powered Fresh Buying Solution with Wakefern

Wakefern, the nation's largest retailer-owned cooperative, will be among the first to deploy Afresh's breakthrough Fresh Buying solution—the world's first technology designed to help fresh buyers take control of their entire day, replacing fragmented systems with one streamlined intelligent solution built for the pace of Fresh and the best in customer experience.

SAN FRANCISCO and KEASBEY, N.J., Nov. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Afresh, the fresh-first technology company, today announced the launch of its latest platform expansion: Fresh Buying. This industry-first solution brings the power of modern AI to digitize and optimize one of the most challenging jobs in grocery: fresh Distribution Center (DC) buying.

Fresh Buying represents a new model for meat, deli, bakery, and produce buyers. It delivers the agility and AI intelligence needed to manage perishables at scale, far beyond what conventional supply-chain tools were built to support. The Afresh Platform brings AI-powered precision to the center of the fresh supply chain, enabling buyers to react quickly and ensuring that they ship the freshest products to stores.

Fresh Buying gives buyers clear prioritization of daily tasks in DC-level operations by automating routine decisions and intelligently resolving many everyday challenges to maximize service levels, freshness, and margin while freeing up teams to work on strategic and creative initiatives. Buyers can focus more on vital relationships with local growers and suppliers while providing the best and freshest shopping experience for customers in stores.

Wakefern Food Corp , the retailer-owned cooperative with supermarket banners that include ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Morton Williams, Fairway Market, and more, will be among the first to implement the Fresh Buying solution across its produce, meat, seafood, deli, and bakery DCs.

Built for the Complexity of Fresh

Buying for highly perishable items at the DC is one of the most complex, high-stakes jobs in grocery. Every decision a DC buyer makes—which vendor to source from, how much to order, when to ship—can swing margins and freshness across hundreds of stores. Buyers navigate a cascade of fast-moving variables each day, including shifting weather, crop delays, vendor availability, and variable lead times.

Afresh's Fresh Buying cuts through that complexity, surfacing what matters most to ensure the best service and product quality for customers in stores. AI agents orchestrate forecasting, vendor selection, truck building, and issue resolution into one seamless, intelligent workflow—transforming how buyers plan, purchase, and respond in the fast-moving world of fresh.

"Afresh was founded with a simple conviction: fresh is different—it demands purpose-built technology," said Matt Schwartz, CEO of Afresh. "Our Fresh Buying solution brings that vision to life for distribution centers by giving buyers real-time visibility, coordination, and AI-powered intelligence in one unified system. Together with Wakefern, we're modernizing how fresh moves through the supply chain—making it easier to get the right products to the right stores, at the right time, with less waste."

That shared focus on freshness and innovation led Wakefern to become one of the first organizations to deploy the new technology.

"Wakefern has a proud legacy of investing in Fresh—from partnering with local farmers to embracing best-in-class technology," said Darren Caudill, Chief Sales Officer at Wakefern. "From the moment we saw Afresh's Fresh Buying solution, we recognized its potential. This kind of innovation is poised to transform the industry—and Wakefern is committed to leading that transformation."

A Single, Unified View

At its core, Fresh Buying gives buyers one connected workspace where every moving piece of the fresh supply chain—from vendor performance to truck timing to product quality—comes into focus. It centralizes and cleans data, automates routine actions, and highlights what needs attention most with AI-powered recommendations that weigh perishability, lead times, vendor reliability, and service levels to simplify decision-making and keep distribution centers running smoothly.

The impact shows up in everyday operations and results in the best and freshest products arriving on store shelves. Fresh Buying identifies issues instantly, models alternative options, and guides teams toward the fastest, most cost-effective, and least wasteful resolution—protecting service levels, profitability, and product quality across the organization.

Key Capabilities Include:

• AI-powered replenishment: Translates complex demand patterns and inventory uncertainty into optimized orders that balance cost, waste, and availability.
• Real-time issue resolution: Flags disruptions as they happen and directs teams to the fastest, least wasteful fix—maintaining service levels to keep stores in stock.
• Scenario Intelligence: Models alternative decisions in real time, showing how each option affects key business metrics so buyers can make informed choices.
• Daily priorities: Surfaces the most important actions for each day so teams stay focused on what drives results.
• Additional capabilities: Streamlines how buyers manage inventory and suppliers—helping maintain freshness, reduce waste, and protect margin as conditions shift.

Powering the Future of Fresh

Afresh designed Fresh Buying for self-distributed grocers, retail co-ops, and wholesale distributors—organizations managing vast networks of fresh departments, local vendors, and regional supply nuances.

Wakefern's rollout of the Afresh Fresh Buying solution sets a new standard for fresh supply chain innovation—with cutting-edge tools to see, plan, and act in real time for an even fresher, more efficient grocery network.

About Afresh

Afresh is the world's leading Fresh AI company, creating comprehensive and intelligent solutions that are revolutionizing the fresh food supply chain. Afresh is changing the game by helping grocers make smarter, fresh decisions and improving grocers' bottom lines while reducing food waste on the retail floor. Founded in 2017 with the mission to eliminate food waste and make fresh food accessible to all, Afresh is proudly serving national and regional grocery brands across the US. Today, Afresh has announced partnerships with grocers in more than 10,000 store departments and 40 states, including Albertsons Companies, Brookshire Grocery Company, Bashas, Cub Foods, Smart & Final, Meijer, and more. Learn more at www.afresh.com.

About Wakefern

From a small, local cooperative that began with eight grocery store owners, Wakefern Food Corp. has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the United States. Founded in 1946, the cooperative today is made up member families that independently own and operate hundreds of supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage, Fairway Market, Di Bruno Bros., and Morton Williams banners in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

SOURCE Afresh Technologies