One Stop, a leading UK convenience store chain, has extended the strategic partnership with RELEX Solutions to integrate their supply chain and unify their retail operations. The RELEX solution has gone live with improved forecasting and automatic replenishment for over 900 of their wholly-owned and franchised locations, with a plan to integrate their four distribution centres in the next phase of implementation.
Since 2010, One Stop and RELEX have worked closely using RELEX’s highly localized space and assortment planning solution. With the introduction of the supply chain solution, One Stop will leverage advanced machine learning and pragmatic AI technology throughout their planning processes, moving them toward truly unified, demand-driven retail optimization across traditionally siloed operational areas.
The unified solution has already generated strong results for One Stop during an unprecedented demand period that resulted in high sales volumes. With RELEX forecasting and replenishment in place, they were able to improve both automation and the quality of their decision-making, as the system enabled a much more accurate understanding of demand and supply.
“RELEX has already proven instrumental in helping us meet the many challenges that accompany exceptional demand,” said One Stop’s Head of Technology Mark Denton. “The ease of use and flexibility of the RELEX system have enabled us to adapt to changing shopping habits.”
Beyond the ability to manage exceptional demand periods, One Stop will holistically improve their end-to-end supply chain. This will hold especially true when implementation is completed for distribution centre forecasting and replenishment, fully integrating their supply chain.
“We expect to see significant improvements across our operations once we’ve stood up the fully integrated RELEX solution and its more advanced functionalities,” said Denton, “such as using machine learning to consider weather forecasts in our demand forecasts. The technology will help us drive key improvements, including higher availability and reduced fresh spoilage. Our planners also benefit from the high levels of automation provided by a more advanced, AI-driven retail optimization technology.”
“One Stop and RELEX have always worked extremely closely as we’ve tackled their space and assortment challenges together,” said Tuomo Pesonen, RELEX’s Chief Operating Officer. “That’s why we’re excited to enter this new phase in our partnership with the expansion into supply chain optimization. Even ten years into the relationship, we’re always looking for ways to add more value and sophistication as we work to improve One Stop’s business outcomes. We never stop building toward the next goal and delivering measurable value.”