IBM has announced it is working with Golden State Foods (GSF), a restaurant supplier with a fleet of over 2,000 delivery trucks, on IoT-focused business transformation projects.
GSF is using IBM’s Watson IoT platform in two main ways: to improve fleet management and to create connected restaurants.
Many of the food products that GSF delivers to restaurants are perishable – the company produces around 400,000 hamburger patties per hour, for example. But delivery delays caused by breakdowns or scheduling issues could mean spoiled beef and disappointed diners.
By equipping its trucks with IoT sensors, they become easier to track and maintain. Sensor data collected and analysed using Watson IoT ensures that issues are detected and tackled before they cause bigger problems down the line. In addition, by combining wearable IoT devices and predictive analytics, GSF expects to improve driver safety.
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Smart diners
A connected restaurant project, meanwhile, is seeing GSF customers use IBM’s Connected Store solutions to make their establishments smarter. Door hinge sensors, digital signage, shelf weight sensors and Wi-Fi tags, for example, collect valuable data that help managers understand energy consumption, manage their inventory and keep restaurants cleaner.
For example, temperature sensors in food storage facilities could trigger alerts if food reaches an unsafe temperature. And with data from occupancy sensors, heating and lighting can automatically be adjusted to reflect the fluctuations in need at peak times, and provide only what is needed.
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Finer points of business
“Innovation in the food service industry typically refers to creating new items on the menu, but GSF is taking that same spirit and applying it to the way restaurants can use technology to transform their operations and supply chain,” said Bob Wolpert, corporate senior vice president and president at GSF Logistics.
“IBM is giving us greater insights into the finer points of our business, from predicting exceptions to recommending the best course of action. It’s this level of knowledge that will allow us set the new standard for the food service industry.”