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Ingles Markets to grow curbside service with network upgrade

Regional grocer boosts wireless capabilities as shoppers seek contactless options

Russell Redman

January 20, 2021

3 Min Read
Ingles_Markets-storefront_photo.jpg
Ingles Markets is now providing curbside pickup at four of its stores and expects to bring on more locations soon with the Aruba network update.Ingles Markets

A major IT network upgrade has enabled Ingles Markets to bulk up its online grocery capabilities and launch new services such as curbside pickup amid a surge in consumer demand driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hewlett-Packard networking technology subsidiary Aruba said yesterday that Ingles is now providing curbside pickup at four of its stores and working to bring on more locations soon. The Asheville, N.C.-based grocer operates 197 supermarkets overall in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Alabama.

Ingles started updating its network infrastructure two years ago by swapping out Cisco Systems access points (APs) with Aruba APs in its stores, according to Santa Clara, Calif.-based Aruba. With more devices connecting and new uses surfacing, Ingles’ connectivity needs grew and the company decided to upgrade to the full Aruba wireless infrastructure and increase its density, helping to future-proof its network. Aruba noted that its new-generation Wi-Fi 6 APs allowed Ingles to avoid a “rip and replace” scenario because they interoperate with the older models that the retailer had deployed, resulting in a more cost-effective implementation.

“We initially built our network to support limited wireless devices and didn’t anticipate some of the changes that our business would encounter,” Marty Riedling, director of systems engineering for Ingles Markets, said in a statement. “With an increase in wireless IoT [Internet of Things] devices being used throughout our stores for inventory ordering and management; meat, deli and produce scales; and digital signage, it became clear that we had to build a more forward-looking foundation.”

Related:Kroger tests ‘smart’ shopping cart from Caper

Networking needs grew further in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, as customers who wanted to avoid shopping in stores sought contactless ordering and click-and-collect options. That led Ingles to another wireless upgrade with the installation of more Aruba Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 APs as well as access switches and ClearPass Policy Manager, which provides secure authentication of network devices.

So far, Ingles has upgraded the wireless network at 10 of its stores, Aruba reported. The enhanced functionality has allowed the grocery chain to keep inventory systems online; expedite price updates for meat, deli and produce scales; and accommodate more IoT devices without impacting network performance.

“Modernizing our network is crucial to addressing the in-store deluge of devices and applications necessary for our day-to-day operations,” Riedling noted.

Related:Walmart to test IoT ‘smart box’ for unattended fresh grocery deliveries

The network upgrade also helped Ingles establish reliable, continuous connectivity for curbside service, in which associates use handheld scanners from Zebra — an Aruba strategic partner — for ordering and fulfillment, Aruba said. In turn, the beefed-up network performance and coverage is expected to help Ingles get stores up and running with curbside pickup more easily as it expands the service.

Supermarkets and other retailers will need stronger network capabilities going forward, as 80% of ordering and replenishment stands to be touchless for most organizations by 2024, according to Gartner research cited by Aruba.

“It’s clear that our stores need to continue evolving to meet the changing needs of our customers,” Ingles Riedling added. “With our upgraded Aruba network in place, we feel confident that we can address these future needs and tackle the challenges that come our way.”

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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