GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Spartan Stores here plans to begin rolling out a computer-assisted ordering (CAO) system to its corporate stores over the next two months, according to Dave Couch, Spartan’s vice president, information technology. The combined retailer/wholesaler began piloting CAO at two stores in 2006 and now has pilots in four stores. “The first couple of stores take a year or more to work out issues and refine the business processes,” he said. “But we’ve had outstanding results, and we’re ready to roll out. The ROI pays off very well.” The store ordering system applies to warehouse-supplied items, but Spartan has begun to automate ordering of direct-store delivery items via one vendor, said Couch, who discussed the system last week at the Food Marketing Institute Show/Marketechnics in Las Vegas.

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