Crisp acquires Shelf Engine AI demand planning solution to optimize retail forecasting and inventory management

The acquisition enhances Crisp’s analytics and food waste reduction capabilities and fuels expansion into fresh supply chains.

Crisp is proud to announce the acquisition of Shelf Engine, a Seattle-based AI technology pioneer with specialized expertise in demand forecasting and automated ordering for retailers. With retailers facing significant challenges in inventory management – balancing optimal stock levels while minimizing waste and maximizing profits in an increasingly margin-sensitive environment – our joint forces promise to transform how the industry approaches inventory decisions through AI-powered precision that drives both sustainability and profitability.

“Retailers are going through a digital transformation,” shares Are Traasdahl, CEO and founder of Crisp. “Integrating Shelf Engine’s comprehensive demand data into our platform will empower retailers and suppliers to make real-time inventory decisions that directly impact their bottom line. In an era of tight margins and rising costs, precise data is the key to unlocking new revenue streams while reducing waste.”

In addition to providing real-time analytics visibility for CPGs, and on the heels of our success developing retail data-sharing solutions such as UNFI Insights, Crisp’s integration of Shelf Engine’s advanced algorithms will provide new capabilities to the retail landscape. Our combined technology will further enable organizations to make real-time inventory-based decisions around consumer demand down to the SKU-level, minimizing spoilage of perishable goods while maximizing fill-rates across channels – transforming what has traditionally been guesswork into an automated, data-driven science.

“…In an era of tight margins and rising costs, precise data is the key to unlocking new revenue streams while reducing waste.”

_{Are Traasdahl, CEO and founder of Crisp}

What our fresh focus brings to the table

Shelf Engine’s technology transforms how retailers manage inventory, particularly for perishable goods, delivering:

• AI-powered demand forecasting that predicts consumer behavior with remarkable accuracy, reducing out-of-stocks while minimizing excess inventory.
• SKU and store-level performance monitoring to further optimize supply chains with precision, accounting for seasonality, promotions, and market trends.
• Specialized fresh goods algorithms designed for managing perishable products, addressing the unique challenges of managing products with limited shelf life and crucially reducing food waste.

The acquisition comes at a pivotal moment – according to Deloitte’s recent study, 64% of grocery retail executives identified fresh food as the most strategically important department for revenue growth over the next three years.

The value of collaboration

CPG suppliers partnered with Crisp can also leverage Shelf Engine’s predictive capabilities to proactively collaborate with retailers on inventory decisions, bypassing traditional retail ordering constraints to automate ordering, optimizing production schedules, and inventory distribution.

“By joining Crisp, we’re democratizing access to AI capabilities previously reserved for the largest retailers. Together, we’re putting thousands of CPGs in the driver’s seat of their own retail success,” shares Stefan Kalb, CEO and co-founder of Shelf Engine. 

“By joining Crisp, we’re democratizing access to AI capabilities previously reserved for the largest retailers. Together, we’re putting thousands of CPGs in the driver’s seat of their own retail success.”

_{Stefan Kalb, CEO and co-founder of Shelf Engine}

Minimizing waste, maximizing profits with AI

As AI revolutionizes retail, the foundation for success remains high-quality, accessible data. While many retailers and brands are eager to implement AI solutions, those without robust data infrastructure struggle to realize meaningful results. Crisp is uniquely positioned to lead retail’s AI revolution because of our semantic layer technology that structures retail data for AI processing and computing. Now enhanced with Shelf Engine’s AI-driven forecasting models, we continue to set the standard for data-driven decision-making in the retail ecosystem, transforming how brands and retailers collaborate to optimize inventory, reduce waste, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.