ShopRite store adds cooling totes to enhance grocery fulfillment

Phononic and ShopRite have launched second-generation Active Cooling Solutions freezer and refrigerator totes at a ShopRite location in New York. The totes are used to pick, store and stage online orders and save space in-store, according to a news release.

Phononic says the HFC-free, actively cooled totes operate without traditional refrigerants, using technology that is more sustainable and cost-effective. 
  
Curbside and delivery grocery orders are more popular than ever, and grocers continue to innovate to meet consumer demand, the release said. Advancements in e-commerce and sustainable cooling technology, such as the new tri-temp tote picking, storage and staging system from Phononic, are examples of this, the company said. 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, according to the release.
  
“The recent launch of the Phononic [second-generation] ACS totes allowed us to create an order, pickup, delivery 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,” Steve Savas, president of Shop-Rite Supermarkets Inc., said in the release. “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.” 
  
ShopRite’s launch of the Phononic second-generation ACS freezer and refrigerator tote solution at the New York store has unlocked tangible gains, including space savings with tote size and portability that allowed a 70% reduction in staging room requirements with no impact on order volume and efficiency, with reduced congestion during peak hours, according to the release.
  
“As the industry’s only solid-state cooling solution for curbside, Phononic’s actively cooled tote makes economic sense,” Larry Yang, chief product officer of Phononic, said in the release. “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.”