Grocery Outlet Selects Afresh for Full-Store Ordering, Including Center Store & General Merchandise

Extreme-value grocer invests in store-level ordering intelligence to drive profitability and support its independent operators

SAN FRANCISCO, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Grocery Outlet, an extreme-value grocer, has selected Afresh for Store Ordering across every department — center store, general merchandising, meat and produce — at its more than 500 independently operated stores. The partnership will provide each operator with intelligent ordering that balances shrink, out-of-stocks, labor, and margin, while maintaining the operator autonomy that defines Grocery Outlet's business.

Grocery Outlet's unique operating model pairs independent store operators with a constantly evolving assortment driven by opportunistic product sourcing. To accommodate this, the company sought an ordering solution that could support this dynamic environment without relying on static assortments, rigid merchandising programs, or a one-size-fits-all approach to inventory management.

Afresh's purpose-built AI platform is flexible enough for this structure, with probabilistic decision-making that handles new and rotating items from Grocery Outlet's ever-changing assortment, and an intelligent inventory approach that doesn't depend on perfect on-hand counts. Afresh's platform provides configurable intelligence that integrates into Grocery Outlet's existing technology stack.

"We selected Afresh because it is uniquely suited to Grocery Outlet's operating model and our vision for the future. This investment is about simplifying and modernizing operations for our independent operators, and equipping stores with world-class solutions that help them make smarter decisions every day. By combining advanced technology with the flexibility and entrepreneurial spirit that define Grocery Outlet, we're making it easier for operators to focus on serving their communities, delivering exceptional value, and driving profitable growth," said Frank Kerr, Chief Store Operations Officer at Grocery Outlet.

"Grocery Outlet has built one of the most differentiated operating models in grocery, and that requires technology that can adapt to the complexity of modern grocery retail. We built Afresh to help grocers make better inventory decisions at scale—improving in-stock performance, reducing waste, and driving stronger results across the business. Starting in fresh and expanding across the store, we're bringing that vision to life for retailers nationwide," said Matt Schwartz, CEO and co-founder of Afresh.

Grocery Outlet joins a growing number of retailers deploying Afresh across both fresh and center-store departments.

About Afresh Technologies

Afresh is the AI platform for Grocery — built for how grocery actually operates, from the fresh perimeter to center store and retail to distribution centers. The Afresh platform helps grocers make smarter decisions about what to buy, order, produce, and sell across the entire operation, delivering higher profits, less waste, and fresher food on the shelf. Founded in 2017 with the mission to eliminate food waste and make fresh food accessible to all, Afresh today supports more than 12,500 departments across 40 states, partnering with Albertsons Companies, Stater Bros., Meijer, Wakefern, and more. Learn more at www.afresh.com.

About Grocery Outlet

Based in Emeryville, California, Grocery Outlet is a growth-oriented extreme value retailer of quality, name-brand consumables and fresh products sold primarily through a network of independently operated stores. Grocery Outlet and its subsidiaries have more than 540 stores in California, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Nevada, Idaho, North Carolina, Maryland, Ohio, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, Alabama, Delaware and Kentucky.

SOURCE Afresh Technologies