The Tally robot can autonomously navigate stores and scan shelves to track inventory. | Source: Simbe Robotics
Simbe Robotics Inc. today launched expanded capabilities for its Store Intelligence platform. The company’s platform now includes capabilities tailored for fresh departments, delivering near real-time visibility into some of grocery’s most operationally complex and strategically important zones.
With expanded multimodal coverage across produce, deli, bakery, prepared foods, and more, Simbe said it’s helping grocers reduce shrink, increase availability, and consistently deliver the fresh experiences that drive shopper trust and loyalty.
“From produce to baked goods, fresh is the performance center of the grocery store because of its importance to shoppers,” said Brad Bogolea, Co-founder and CEO of Simbe. “Deloitte research shows they’re three times more likely to switch grocers if fresh execution falters. Simbe gives retailers the visibility and control to meet those expectations, at a time when outdated, manual processes are no longer an option.”
Simbe said its Store Intelligence platform includes the Tally autonomous mobile robot (AMR), which identifies product locations, stock levels, and pricing and promotion information with computer vision. The company added that its vision and artificial intelligence, which it upgraded earlier this year, can provide “unprecedented visibility and near real-time insights.”
Fresh departments are becoming crucial for retailers
Fresh departments now account for 42% of total grocery sales and 41% of online grocery revenue, yet they remain among the most labor-intensive and shrink-prone areas to manage. The perimeter has the highest shrink in the store, with an average rate of 6.6%.
Simbe’s fresh capabilities arrive as the perimeter becomes an even greater focus for grocery leadership. According to Deloitte, two-thirds of grocery retail executives expect fresh to be their most strategically important department in the next one to three years, a shift driven by both consumer demand and margin pressure.
In a recent report, Simbe reported that retailers urgently need to reduce inefficiencies. The “State of In-Store Retailing 2025” report highlights the retail industry’s urgent need to digitize stores using artificial intelligence and automation.
“Fresh is where brand promise meets operational reality,” said Bogolea. “Through automation, the retailers leading in this space are redefining how their teams execute, how they serve shoppers, and how they grow. We’re proud to support that shift with the visibility they need to turn fresh into a true competitive advantage.”
Simbe said its Store Intelligence platform better enables grocers to solve these challenges:
- Tally, Simbe’s autonomous mobile robot, scans packaged fresh goods daily, identifying out-of-stocks and pricing issues, the company said.
- Tally Spot, a fixed-sensor solution, provides high-frequency monitoring for fast-selling items like rotisserie chickens, pre-cut fruit, and grab-and-go meals.
- Virtual Tour delivers panoramic views of perishable zones, enabling HQ and regional teams to assess merchandising and freshness without needing to be onsite.
- Aisle Views offer time-lapse shelf imagery, supporting better planning, rotation, and merchandising decisions across locations.
- RFID-enabled Tally Spot further improves freshness tracking and inventory rotation using real-time expiration data.
What results can retailers expect from the update?
Simbe said its multimodal Store Intelligence platform delivers real-time visibility for every zone of the store, including the uniquely complex perimeter. By combining autonomous robotics, fixed sensors, RFID, and immersive virtual tours, Simbe provides full-store transparency, even in environments that have historically been difficult to monitor.
The company said this transparency enables retailers to:
- Maximize production and availability during peak hours
- Reduce shrink by catching overstocks early and rotating aging inventory
- Cut food waste by up to 88% to support both ESG and financial goals
- Improve labor efficiency by replacing time-consuming audits with autonomous scans
- Maintain consistent execution across stores, even with limited on-site supervision
- Deliver fresher shelves and better shopper experiences across every store, every day
“Fresh is table stakes for differentiating the customer offer from online and value players, and timing of the execution is a recurring issue that loses the sale and erodes shopper trust. Simbe’s fresh capabilities are a complete game-changer for keeping eyes on what shoppers see,” said Bennett Morgan, former EVP and Chief Merchandising Officer of SpartanNash, a Simbe customer.
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