GroceryNEXT: Regional grocers need to keep up with the big boys without the big budget

[Viable Food News Desk]

Publisher: Supermarket News
Published: August 25, 2026
Source: Read at Supermarket News
Category: Food Access

Regional grocers at GroceryNEXT identified AI and automation, along with loyalty and personalization, as their top focus areas. Lowes Foods, which has 84 stores across North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, said AI could help it use limited technology resources more efficiently. Coborn's, which has close to 80 locations across five states, partners with AI-powered software company Revionics on price automation and is considering promotional price optimization. Company executives said these tools can help smaller chains compete on pricing while improving store operations and customer experience.

Why this matters: Independent and regional grocers may be able to focus limited technology budgets on targeted tools for pricing, operations, and customer-facing activity instead of trying to match the systems spending of larger chains.

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