Phononic and ShopRite launched Generation ACS (Active Cooling Solutions) freezer and refrigerator totes at a ShopRite location in New York. These totes are used to pick, store and stage online orders and save space in-store. Phononic’s HFC-free, actively-cooled totes also operate without traditional refrigerants, using technology that is more sustainable.
“The recent launch of the Phononic second-generation ACS totes allowed us to create an order, pickup, deliver department in a store with a smaller building footprint. Local customers can now pick up their online orders at the store or have them delivered,” says Steve Savas, president, Shop-Rite Supermarkets, Inc. “We are always looking for opportunities to be at the forefront of innovation in digital commerce, and we are excited to be the first grocer in the nation with this technology.”
“As the industry’s only solid-state cooling solution for curbside, Phononic’s Actively-Cooled tote makes economic sense,” says Larry Yang, chief product officer at Phononic. “Not only is it easy to integrate the totes into ShopRite’s existing operations, but it's incredibly scalable, capable of growing easily alongside ShopRite’s booming curbside business, and agile enough to keep up with daily order fluctuations.”
Key takeaways:
- Supported with 24-7 information-sharing capabilities, grocers are equipped with tote utilization, cold chain compliance and energy consumption data to maximize usage and efficiency.
- The tote size and portability allowed a 70% reduction in staging room requirements with no impact on order volume.
- The totes also reduced congestion during peak hours.
