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By embedding AI across the business, Save A Lot transformed how 750+ stores plan, stock, and sell–reducing waste, improving visibility, and laying the groundwork for scalable, shopper-aligned growth.
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As one of the largest discount grocery chains in the U.S., Save A Lot embarked on a bold transformation, moving from a traditional grocery model to a bannered wholesale business. That shift required more than new processes—it needed a connected retail AI platform built for speed, scale, and flexibility.
Led by CIO Jennifer Hopper and CMO Trey Johnson, Save A Lot adopted a retail-specific AI platform to enhance agility, efficiency, and scalability.
Jennifer Hopper
CIO, Save A Lot
Transitioning from a hybrid retail/wholesale model to pure wholesale required Save A Lot to modernize its entire retail operations stack. Legacy tools were slowing the business down—key merchandising and supply chain processes ran on aging systems that were difficult to scale, hard to maintain, and disconnected across teams.
Supporting hundreds of independently-operated stores meant unifying data, improving inventory visibility, and enabling smarter, faster decisions across the entire network.
The team set clear goals:
– Replace outdated merchandising and supply chain systems
– Centralize ownership of core data and streamline communication
– Improve service and agility for retail partners
– Build flexible, AI-powered workflows to scale with demand
To support its shift to a wholesale model, Save A Lot turned to a connected, AI-driven platform designed to modernize every aspect of its operations and supply chain. From inventory visibility to store-level planning, AI drove decisions to keep the business moving, including what to stock, where to ship, and how to serve each store’s unique needs.
The end-to-end approach centered on four key steps.
Step 1
The team began by centralizing data to create a single source of truth across products, orders, and inventory. This gave retail partners what they needed most, including easy ordering, real-time inventory visibility, and a more responsive supply chain. The retail AI platform streamlined coordination across buyers, warehouses, and stores to improve forecasts and set the stage for smarter, faster decisions.
Step 2
With unified data in place, Save A Lot moved fast to bring insights to each store. Using AI-driven floor and shelf planning tools, the team rolled out planograms tailored to each store’s footprint and shopper base. The team drove alignment and ensured every milestone landed on time and on budget.
Step 3
Save A Lot replaced its hosted platform with cloud-native AI applications—enabling real-time insights, enterprise-wide scalability, space, and improved collaboration.
Step 4
With AI-enabled planning, Save A Lot tailored layouts based on each store’s specific configuration and shelf capacity—maximizing efficiency, space optimization, and sales potential. Retail partners were given the flexibility to further customize store layouts and planograms, with that data flowing back into the AI systems for continuous improvement.
Save A Lot’s shift to an AI-enabled, connected retail platform is paying off—improving execution, empowering partners, and creating a more efficient, responsive business at scale.
More than 4,400 users now rely on AI-powered tools to optimize floor layouts and planograms across 750+ locations. The system’s intuitive design and strong training support helped accelerate adoption and drive immediate impact in stores.
Retail partners can track inventory in real time, place orders more easily, and respond faster to local needs, all within a centralized, cloud-based system. With improved automation and accuracy, Save A Lot now simplifies ordering, tracks inventory in real time.
Save A Lot can localize assortments with precision. Whether it’s adjusting for shelf space or tailoring product mix to shopper demographics, each store gets a layout that works—backed by data and tracked in one central system
End-to-end supply chain and space planning have reduced waste and improved product availability. With smarter stocking, fewer out-of-stocks, and less waste, Save A Lot has improved margins and boosted shopper satisfaction.
Save A Lot’s transformation wasn’t just about upgrading systems—it built an AI-powered platform to run a new kind of business. By modernizing everything from master data to forecasting and replenishment, the team created a connected retail foundation that’s scalable, flexible, and built for its wholesale model.
With real-time insights driving planning and execution, Save A Lot is operating smarter, supporting its retail partners more effectively, and fully serving its customers.
“From the beginning, Save A Lot and SymphonyAI established a very collaborative relationship, with good engagement from the executive level all the way through to the project teams. There’s mutual trust that we are working together productively to advance Save A Lot’s business goals, and SymphonyAI has proven itself a trusted advisor for our long-term transformation journey.”
Jennifer Hopper
CIO, Save A Lot
Save A Lot’s transformation is ongoing. With AI at the center of its connected retail platform, the company continues to expand its capabilities. From demand forecasting to distribution center replenishment, the brand’s transformation is backed by a scalable, unified data foundation.
Performance at scale starts with AI that works where decisions are made. Save A Lot proves what’s possible with industry-trained, vertical AI that is purpose-built to solve retail’s biggest challenges. Ready to move faster, act smarter, and drive limitless results? Let’s talk.
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