Cherkizovo Group automates merchandising operations

Cherkizovo Group, Russia’s largest meat producer has become the country’s first company in the industry to automate its merchandising processes with artificial intelligence. This helped the Company bolster the presence of its products in retail.

In 2022, Cherkizovo Group successfully tested a mobile app for merchandisers based on computer vision (image recognition) technology powered by neural networks. It was launched to automate the Company’s in-store product display analysis and improve the performance of sales teams.

This is how the app works: a merchandiser uses the app installed on their phone to take a snapshot of a store shelf and then a neural network processes the image in real time directly on the device. Based on this data, Cherkizovo’s management can promptly analyze the level of product representation in a particular store, as well as in specific districts, cities or regions, and quickly respond if some products are missing.

The app helped Cherkizovo to significantly improve the quality and accuracy of the data provided by merchandisers and ultimately reduce costs and increase sales. “We receive online information not only on (un)availability of our products on the shelf but also on compliance with display standards and meeting sales targets. By reducing out-of-stock periods, we enhance customer experience and increase our turnover,” says Alexander Nikonovich, Head of Business App Implementation and Development at Trading Company Cherkizovo.

The app is already used by Cherkizovo’s merchandisers in most of the regions where the Company operates.