As the industry continues to tout automation in a variety of technical and complex ways, Structural Concepts can easily sum up its Autonomous Retail Merchandiser (ARM) as “One and Done.”
For the operator, the ARM significantly reduces labor costs by seemingly taking on multiple roles as a foodservice director, food sales rep, inventory supervisor, category analyst, product merchandiser, cashier, POS administrator, and loss prevention officer.
Using a cashierless system, the ARM operates seamlessly in remote locations 24/7 allowing shoppers to browse products directly on the shelf, have their selections automatically added to the cart, and pay with credit/debit, mobile payments, or other forms of IDs for faster transactions.
The ARM also reduces the frequency of restocks by holding 23% more inventory, including both refrigerated and ambient products, as compared to other models. Providing inventory management control, the ARM tracks sales and delivers real-time insights to accurately gauge sales trends and set forecasts.
To prevent leakage, the ARM contains load cell trays allowing the operator to program food in each tray via an app, where the weight of each item tells the system what has been selected. Interactive LED shelf lights identify which tray a product was selected from and these instantly turn red if the wrong product is put back in the tray. A security camera is positioned in a directed down location to only capture hand making selections and used only to settle disputes.
In further building on the “One and Done” theme, the ARM is the perfect fit for several foodservice applications including education, healthcare, travel & entertainment, stadiums and arenas, and even EV charging stations. The ARM checks the box for meeting the various needs and desires of operators and administrators in these markets as well as creating future opportunities: Eliminating food desserts, reducing operational costs, serving more customers faster, preventing line bottlenecks, increasing share of wallet transactions, driving incremental sales, and increasing ROI.
The ARM has the lowest total cost of ownership as compared to other automated models. In addition to having the largest capacity, the ARM has the lowest energy consumption, lowest fees, and lowest labor costs, while still generating 30% more profitability.
In continuing to expand sales applications for the ARM, Structural Concepts exhibited it’s soon to be released New Age Verification Technology at NAFEM. The ID verification works by verifying the user’s age through an ID scanner that can read and authenticate government-issued identifications. This technology not only protects businesses but also helps maintain community standards by preventing underage access to restricted items. Benefits include enhanced convenience and reduced labor costs for businesses, as these machines will operate without the need for a human cashier to verify age while ensuring safety and compliance of the operation.
Also in the works is a leasing program allowing foodservice operators to economically operate the ARM for extended periods of time and still experience all of the benefits these models provide both them and their customers.
