Foodservice eCommerce – who cares?

eCommerce is one of the most talked about, and least actioned sales channels in Foodservice.

Retail have led the way by enabling their customers to interact online; when it is convenient for the customer; and subsequently benefitting from the reduced transactional costings that ecommerce can provide.

Foodservice is complicated.

Cases, splits; delivery cutoffs; bespoke pricing; combination sales offers; and brand substitutions all add to the complexity of delivering a worthwhile, meaningful experience for the customer.

Startup Artificial Intelligence company, 443 AI are solving this problem for all wholesalers who want to have a viable, meaningful digital relationship with their customers, and Savona Foodservice are pivotal to the building of the platform.

Arriving with a wealth of experience from a previous relationship with P&H, Jason Finch has formed 443 AI with the express intention of bringing all the best of the ecommerce experience to the complexity of managing Foodservice customers. 443 AI are working closely with Savona Foodservice to pool the knowledge, experience and expertise to assure the ecommerce platform will be simply market leading.

Already in the roadmap are:

• Bespoke pricing models

• Complex sales promotions (from the simplicity of BOGOF, through to grouped sales deals for wide ranging product types)

• Self-serve portals to allow customers to get statements etc

• Highly focused advertising, to allow suppliers to get meaningful and valuable engagement with end-users

• Simple administration (no need to employ a tech whiz!)

Jason may be a digital superstar, and have employed more of the same around him, but he recognizes the importance of building the right platform with a company that shares the vision.

“Savona get it – they know what their customers need and they know how to express that as both a technical integration and a customer experience”, and he seems sure that the outcome of that can only be an industry leading ecommerce platform that serves customers as it should, but does not add unnecessary administrative burden to the wholesaler.

“I’m excited about the journey we have started with Jason”, explains Kelly Williams (Savona Sales and Marketing Director), “and seeing what I have already seen, tells me that we could not be in better hands”.

Well-funded, and with a short roadmap before launch, 443 AI are set to completely disrupt the Foodservice ecommerce market, and Savona Foodservice will lead the charge within their customer base.



Bios

Mike Morgan (Director General Manager - Savona)

Mike Morgan (Director – Savona) has around 20 years Operational and General Management Foodservice experience, encompassing Bidvest, Brakes, Martin Brower and Weddel Swift.

Most notable previous leadership role being supply of food to the 2012 Olympic Games for 3663.

Despite having a wife and two children, he still finds time to shoot clay pigeons and travel.

Kelly Williams (Sales & Marketing Director – Savona)

Kelly Williams (Director – Savona) has worked for most of her successful sales career in the Wholesale Foodservice industry, and most of that for Ilfracombe Wholesale Grocers before the acquisition by Savona Foodservice.

Having worked from Telesales through fieldsales and into Sales Management, she was appointed a Company Director and then took Group Sales & Marketing responsibility.

Travel, family and dogs all play a huge part in her life outside work.

Jason Finch (Director/Snowboarder)

Helicopter flying, snowboarding darling of the AI (artificial intelligence) world, Jason describes himself as ‘not technical’ which comes out in accessible, well coded solutions to genuine issues. Serial entrepreneur and Official Mentor to Women in Wholesale.

Co-founded Port80, and various special interest companies and now is the driving force beyond 443AI

Spare time is rare, but full of his passions.

443AI Is an artificial intelligence led development company, that is partnered with Savona Foodservice in developing a wholesale specific eCommerce platform, to finally bring the benefits that retail have seen from trading online, to the wholesale industry.

Savona Foodservice South West, Mullacott Business Park, Ilfracombe, EX34 8PL
Kerrie Anson
kerrie.anson@savona.co.uk
01271 862569