Customer: Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG)
Industry: Grocery Retail
Use Case: Shelf Planning, Assortment Optimization, Store Execution
Location: United States

About AWG

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the largest cooperative food wholesaler in the U.S., serving over 1,100 member companies and 3,500+ locations across 33 states. AWG reported consolidated sales of $12.4 billion in 2023.

The Challenge

Retailers today face increasing pressure to meet evolving customer expectations. Shoppers demand local products, trending new items, broad assortments, and fully stocked shelves — and are quick to move on when those expectations aren't met. This complexity creates new challenges in merchandising and shelf execution.

The Solution

AWG turned to SymphonyAI’s best-in-class shelf planning solution to meet these challenges. The platform automates the creation of store clusters and customized planograms, enabling retailers to:

• Ensure must-stock items are always included
• Maintain SKU adjacencies and merchandising rules
• Deliver a localized, consistent shopping experience

The result is improved performance from category planning teams and enhanced in-store execution.

Real Results for AWG

“The biggest benefit AWG members get is the ability to customize shelf sets for each of their stores. Their optimized assortments better meet customer needs, including DSD and third-party products,”
— Brian Adams, Director of Category Management Execution, AWG

Key benefits realized:

• Custom shelf layouts tailored to each store
• Improved execution of resets and stock management
• Better measurement of planogram performance

Technology That Transforms Shelf Execution

SymphonyAI’s shelf planning solution delivers modern capabilities that streamline planning and boost collaboration:

• Store-specific layouts aligned to strategy and space constraints
• Automated clustering and planogram creation
• Up-to-date planogram access via mobile devices
• Faster onboarding and elevated team proficiency
• Real-time collaboration between AWG and member retailers
• Integrated support for DSD and regional/local items

“Shelf planning is essential for executing category strategies. It ensures alignment between product performance, inventory levels, and delivery cycles—driving both sales and operational efficiency.”
— Gina Hargrave, Head of Solution Success, SymphonyAI

Looking Ahead

AWG is continuing to invest in innovation, ensuring its members have the tools and technology to:

• Maximize shelf-level efficiency
• Customize assortments
• Drive measurable improvements in customer satisfaction and store performance