Walmart partners with tech company on new initiative to improve its products — and it could mean perfectly tasting fruit

WALMART announced a partnership with a technology company to improve its products in an effort to provide customers with the best-tasting berries.

The retail giant is working with Agritask, a crop supply intelligence company, in collaboration with the Sparkcubate program.

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The company hopes to make better-informed decisions regarding the production of seasonal fruits such as cherries and blackberries.

Agrisk aims to reduce food waste and guarantee fresh products for consumers.

Depending on the pilot results, Wal-Mart might consider using Agrisk again in future.

“The pilot will deploy Agritask’s remote sensing and data analysis tools in multiple regions across the U.S. and Mexico to provide real-time hyperlocal insights into seasonal blackberry and cherry harvests from selections Wal-Mart suppliers”, Wal-Mart said in a press release.

The crops were chosen because they are highly sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity levels.

These factors can affect its growth, quality, transportation and shelf life.

Using real-time monitoring, the collaboration will quickly respond to unfavorable environmental conditions to manage supplies and improve product quality globally.

Some important examples include:

• Immediate warnings about possible risks and possible damage to target crops, such as an unexpected cold front
• Real-time assessment of timing, delays or advances in an expected harvest
• Updated guidance on meeting yield targets throughout the growing season

“Addressing challenges in purchasing and planning accuracy in agriculture due to data discrepancies and environmental uncertainties can be difficult,” said Kyle Carlyle, vice president of supply innovation and supply assurance at Wal-Mart.

“Agritask’s technology It has the potential to fill vital information gaps that sourcing managers often face when forecasting yield.

“Partnering with Agritask allows Walmart to delve deeper into more streamlined and sustainable sourcing practices, ensuring consistent supply of fresh, high-quality products to meet customer demand.”

Agritask CEO Ofir Ardon called Walmart the ideal partner for its technology solutions due to the retailer’s global scale and “commitment to strengthening sustainable supply chains.”

“We are excited for Walmart to become the first retail partner to integrate Yield Intelligence, adopting our data-driven innovation built on 15 years of optimizing agricultural supply chains to reshape the way companies collaborate with suppliers,” he said. he.

“Together, we are uniquely positioned to implement scalable, climate-smart and risk-ready solutions that optimize supply from the start.”

Walmart described its partnership with Agrisk as its latest initiative in a long-term commitment to using technology for a “sustainable and resilient supply chain.”

WAL SMART

Recently, the retailer announced plans for a new pricing policy that would replace paper labels with more digital ones.

The digital labels will be implemented in around 1,400 of its 2,300 stores, and the retailer hopes to have them in all stores by 2026.

The move represents a significant shift in how I and other store associates manage pricing, inventory, order fulfillment and customer interactions, ensuring our customers enjoy an even better shopping experience,” said Daniela Boscan, Walmart employee who participated in testing the technology at a Walmart in Grapevine, Texas, in a news release. release.

However, the retailer said it would not use the change to increase product prices, CBS reported.

Dynamic pricing is often used by other retailers when a price changes abruptly due to weather, traffic, or other factors.

“I don’t think we’ll see Walmart introduce dynamic pricing anytime soon,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData’s retail division.

“Many shoppers use Walmart because it has low prices, and Walmart has worked hard to establish customer trust.”

The US Sun has reached out to Walmart for comment.