Is this the end of phone calls, fax machines, and clipboards for DSD reordering?

This blog originally appeared in WholeFoods Magazine.‍

‍Where’s the innovation in the grocery industry?‍‍

The idea of Vori began as a note of inspiration from the parents of our founder, who spent their careers—all 40+ years of them—in the grocery and consumer product industry. Shockingly, very little technological advancement has happened within this industry (especially ones that grocery employees actually enjoy using). This is an even harsher reality for the natural & independent grocers who rely on a variety of small- to medium-sized suppliers to meet the taste and demand of their communities.

I experienced this first-hand as the Store Director at Delucchi’s Market & Delicatessen, a family-owned and operated market in Redwood City, CA. For over 6 years, I spent an ungodly amount of time on the antiquated reordering process. (Which led to an ungodly consumption of ibuprofens due to the headaches that said reordering process caused.) That was, until I met Vori.

<span class="video-caption">Witness the magic of Vori — grocery's modern inventory management system</span>

Reordering made simple

‍‍I wrote and submitted my first wholesale order on Vori towards the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. It was for $200 of kombucha. I’ll never forget how easy it was! That’s when the light-bulb went off for me and my team. We realized how important this platform would be for our store. This one order launched Delucchi’s and the ordering staff of Northern California’s natural & independent grocery industry into the 21st century.

But how, you ask?

Well, Vori developed an online wholesale marketplace that allows local retailers, distributors and brands to connect together in one place: a scan-based, multi-vendor ordering platform. Through this innovative technology, the buyer enjoys a hassle-free reordering process. They simply walk over to their shelves, launch the app, and order from all their vendors—right then and there. Vori empowers retailers to easily maintain a unique assortment by having a direct channel to their suppliers, visibility on spend & best sellers, and product discovery. (It also works offline!)

As a former store director and now, part of the Vori team, I witness the mind-blowing power of easy-to-use and effective technology in stores, every single day. I also see the problems technology can cause when it’s clunky, ineffective, and not designed for the stores it claims to serve.

Save time on reordering and add value to your customer experience‍‍

Let’s go back to the source of those headaches. We all know that inventory replenishment is the culprit. It’s time consuming and takes employees away from what they do best—helping store customers. Waiting on the phone for 30+ minutes, fixing a broken fax machine, and missing vendor appointments due to scheduling conflicts or miscommunications, causes a world of frustration for the store and the supplier. (Not to mention how “out-of-stocks” make for unhappy shoppers…) And in the age of razor-thin margins, grocery giants, and e-commerce goliaths clawing at their backs, our local markets need tech tools that work.

Independent grocery stores serve as  staples within our  communities. In fact, sales for these retailers have increased by 8% over the last ten years, jumping from 25% of total U.S. grocery sales to 33%, according to a June 2021 study by the National Grocers Association. All the more reason for natural and independent retailers to find tech solutions that help them keep the right products on the shelf. Thankfully, the tools and resources needed are starting to gain traction within this industry, with Vori helping to lead the way.

A few things I love about Vori:

• We’re reducing retailers reordering time by 80%, saving folks 2+ hours per day so that they can spend more time with customers and fixing their mixes.
• Everything is in one place, the palm of your hand. You can explore new items, discover new brands, and reorder from thousands of vendor catalogues in record time.
• How does a less crowded backroom sound? Vori helps you order exactly what you need. That means less money tied up in inventory.
• Vori works offline, which means you can write orders and shop catalogues with or without internet access.
• Out-of-stock reduction!

Increase your efficiency with Vori

Since joining Vori, my team and I have helped almost 90% of the natural & independent grocers in Northern California become more efficient businesses and better serve their customers. But don’t just take my word for it.

Watch the on-demand WholeFoods Magazine webinar: Upgrade Your Store: How Grocery Leaders are Streamlining Replenishment and Operations,  Emel Mutlu, the owner of The Market at Edgewood (Vori’s first customer and a delicious neighborhood market in Palo Alto, California), and Brandon Hill, CEO and co-founder of Vori.

In this webinar, you will learn:

• How grocers are eliminating the use of phone calls, fax machines, and clipboards from their reordering process
• The capabilities of the multi-vendor ordering solution provider, Vori
• Best practices on implementing advanced technology inside of your store

Feel free to check out the video below to learn more about Vori and the businesses that we support with our operating system, designed for grocery today.

<span class="video-caption">The Market at Edgewood (Palo Alto, CA) shares how Vori helps them supercharge their operation</span>

Helping my customers has always been the pride and joy of my work, from Delucchi’s to Vori. So, I look forward to sharing Vori with you.