Associated Food Stores successfully completed the ROAR Phase 1 Final Acceptance on July 7, which is a major milestone in the company’s distribution center modernization strategy.
The final acceptance process, which ran from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., required the inbound and outbound crane systems to operate at 100 percent capacity for 10 consecutive hours. The team not only met the standard, but they exceeded it by running at 109 percent productivity without a single scratched case for the day.
In addition to the production performance, each pallet was audited to ensure strict quality criteria were met, including proper stacking, secure wrapping and zero mispicks.
“This is a huge accomplishment for our team,” said Justin Johnson, vice president of distribution for AFS. “Not only did we run at full capacity, but we also pushed the system beyond what was required and did it with perfect quality results. That speaks volumes about the dedication and preparation of our team.”
The system, developed in partnership with Symbotic, set a new record for the fastest timeline from go-live to final acceptance: just 132 days. Symbotic representatives called this the most impressive final acceptance they have ever witnessed.
“Our team spent weeks preparing for this test, and it showed,” Justin said. “This is a complex system, and with only one outbound crane running, there was no room for error. A single issue could have delayed acceptance to the next day. But the team stayed focused and delivered.”
The success follows a busy season for the distribution center, which managed to navigate the month of June and the July 4th holiday with zero downtime. Justin credited this to the team’s increased focus on process improvement and system training.
A special recognition was given to the 25 team members directly involved in operating and prepping the ROAR system. They dedicated extra time in the week leading up to final acceptance to ensure everything ran smoothly.
“This wasn’t just a technology success—it was a people success,” Justin said. “Our team members made this happen.”
For a recap on when Phase 1 went live, watch the video below.