Southeastern Grocers enlists cloud-based platform to diversify supplier base

Southeastern Grocers has tapped commerce and compliance technology specialist ReposiTrak to help broaden its base of food and nonfood vendor partners.

Salt Lake City-based ReposiTrak said yesterday that the regional grocer is implementing ReposiTrak MarketPlace, an automated solution that makes it easier for diverse and underrepresented suppliers to introduce their products and special certifications — with no associated costs — to retailers and wholesalers.

Using MarketPlace, grocers can search for vendors and hot products, vet and on-board suppliers, and place orders on one B2B e-commerce platform, ReposiTrak noted.

After sellers load item details, buyers can search the MarketPlace — by supplier name, product, theme, event or category — and contact suppliers of interest to ask questions and/or request samples. The system automatically gathers all documentation from a new supplier to ensure compliance with a retailer’s business and/or safety requirements. Once an order is accepted, the seller’s item data can be sent to the buyer’s system with one click, saving weeks of time and reducing or eliminating EDI expenses, according to ReposiTrak. Then, when all negotiations are complete and a supplier has met requirements, an order can be generated between buyer and seller from within the MarketPlace.

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“Working with ReposiTrak to tailor internal practices allows us to find and contract with more diverse suppliers,” Dewayne Rabon, chief merchandising officer at Southeastern Grocers, said in a statement. “This new partnership with ReposiTrak helps offer customers throughout the Southeast with the most relevant products that best suit their tastes and preferences.”

Overall, Jacksonville, Fla.-based operates 423 supermarkets under the Winn-Dixie, Harveys and Fresco y Más banners in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Mississippi.

On the flip side, MarketPlace helps suppliers build a searchable seller profile and upload their product information to facilitate discovery by and contact with retailers interested in carrying their wares. To that end, vendors can design MarketPlace features that highlight their specific characteristics and qualifications, ReposiTrak said.

Unlike other electronic supplier catalogs, the MarketPlace solution automates and guides the sourcing process between trading partners from end to end, ReposiTrak notes on its website. Retailers and wholesalers using ReposiTrak technology represent nearly 40% of the U.S. grocery market, the company added.

“Delivering high-quality products and services reliably to customers at three brands across five southeastern states requires incredible coordination,” ReposiTrak Chairman and CEO Randy Fields commented on the Southeastern Grocers partnership. “Southeastern Grocers raises the bar by simultaneously committing to a corporate culture of belonging, inclusion and diversity. ReposiTrak is committed to making the partnership with SEG work so the retailer’s goal for a more diverse supplier base through an automated solution is met.”

Related:Southeastern Grocers seeks greater mix of local suppliers

Part of Park City Group, ReposiTrak offers solutions designed to help retailers and wholesalers “sell more, stock less and see everything” by providing them with a 360-degree view of vendor data to optimize sales, sourcing, safety and quality, in turn sharpening supply chain efficiency and reducing risk. The company’s tools are accessible via a cloud-based portal that comprises the ReposiTrak Speed Retail Platform.

In March, ReposiTrak announced that San Bernardino, Calif.-based Stater Bros. Markets, with over 170 stores in Southern California, leveraged its OOS Management Solution to lower out-of-stocks, namely in the direct-store delivery (DSD) categories. After six months, out-of-stocks were “reduced substantially,” and Stater Bros. began expanding the program to include more DSD suppliers, ReposiTrak reported.