Technology implementations and original research shaping beverage sales.
Schnuck Markets operates autonomous shelf-scanning robots across its St. Louis store network to track item availability, tag accuracy, and physical shelf positions. In October 2024, robotics vendor Simbe introduced Brand Insights, a software capability that allows participating supermarket operators to syndicate specific shelf-state observations directly to consumer packaged goods suppliers.
Point-of-sale register data records which beverage was purchased, but in retail stores with multiple cold touchpoints, register records do not identify which specific fixture supplied the bottle. That blind spot obscures display-level productivity across perimeter cold vaults, front-end checkout coolers, and secondary deli merchandisers.
PepsiCo's promotion planners can bring a retailer several possible calendars, each reflecting different commercial priorities. When the retailer changes its requirements, the planners can revise the restrictions and generate another set of options.
An unnamed Central American beverage company supplied records for 3,119 accounts that had received coolers. Researchers used the data to predict which accounts would subsequently achieve sales-volume growth targets. Their results offer a concrete warning about ranking outlets: the best-performing model changed with the number of accounts selected.