Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op is partnering with AI systems provider Palantir Technologies to create an integrated supply chain network, according to an Aug. 7 press release from Palantir.
The tech partnership aims to automate workflows using artificial intelligence, connecting Wendy’s suppliers, distributors and restaurants for greater cost savings and operational efficiencies, per the release.
Implementation will be rolled out in two phases. First, the purchasing co-op will use Palantir’s Artificial Intelligence Platform — which connects disparate data sources — to help improve decision-making across the company, according to the release. The platform enables users to “quickly make decisions, evaluate their efficacy, and custom build modular applications.”
In phase 2, Wendy’s purchasing co-op will leverage AIP for supply chain management and waste prevention, including inventory management, demand deviation and allocation, and more.
“The sophisticated and nimble AI-powered planning and fulfillment system we’re developing will serve as the cornerstone for our state-of-the-art interconnected network,” said Pete Suerken, Wendy’s Quality Supply Chain Co-op president and CEO.
The purchasing co-op, founded in 2010 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, oversees Wendy’s supply chain and manages programs to ensure that restaurants in North America receive deliveries, per the company website. Members include suppliers and distributors. The co-op services more than 6,400 Wendy’s restaurants in the U.S. and Canada, per the release.
Restaurants have been tapping technology solutions as a strategy for mitigating supply chain woes, including sustainability concerns, ingredient shortages and increasing overall operational efficiency. Chipotle, for instance, began using RFID technology to better track inventory across its outsourced supply chain.
