Technology company Kelsius is set to save Nisa retailers up to £10k in labour costs a year by using its system to streamline food safety management processes.
The forecast follows a three-month trial with independent retailer Gary Batten across his two Nisa stores in Cornwall, after Kelsius announced it was partnering with Co-op Wholesale last year.
During the pilot, Batten saved up to two hours of staff time a day at his store in St Stephens, Cornwall, amounting to £10,000 a year.
His other Nisa store, based in Pentewan, Cornwall, allowed him to optimise up to one hour of colleague labour a day, saving £9,000 in annual costs.
Kelsius said that with operational fees starting from £4 a day, return on investment averaged around 150% at 12 months. Under the partnership, Kelsius is also offering Nisa retailers a 10% discount on installation costs.
The system works by streamlining Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) checks, thereby removing manual, labour-intensive food safety management processes and the risk of human error, it said.
This includes temperature control to ensure food is stored and cooked properly. Kelsius provides a wireless temperature monitoring system that uses sensors and probes for deli, bakery or butcher counters, as well as in fridges and freezers.
The sensors automatically alert retailers when a fridge or freezer temperature falls outside set parameters, helping to prevent loss of stock and food waste. Probes can be used to monitor temperatures on the spot.
All data is recorded and available in real time, making it easier to create reports, gain insights, and provide data for audits, Kelsius said.
“They’re utilising that time to better serve customers, look at stock levels, increase their training, all elements that they are potentially missing out on,” Kelsius UK food retail sales manager Danielle Guy told The Grocer. “We’ve given them that time back, it’s a no-brainer.”
Kelsius said the digital system also helped convenience retailers achieve their sustainability goals by eliminating the paper and printing needed to carry out the HACCP process manually.
A wider rollout among Co-op Wholesale’s Nisa retail estate is underway. Guy said the business has carried out demos with 25 stores to showcase the equipment and costs so far, with plans to onboard 40 sites by the end of the year.
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