Relex has acquired Ida, the French platform provider specialising in store ordering optimisation for loose products such as fruit, vegetables, bakery, meat, seafood and prepared foods. French retail groups such as Auchan, Coopérative U, Naturalia, Biocoop and the Carrefour-Franchise Provencia are using the platform Ida. The Retail Optimiser reported on its use at Coopérative U.
The acquisition complements Relex’ order optimisation platform with additional store-level capabilities for replenishment covering the spectrum of fresh and ultra-fresh. Fresh categories are the most complex to manage, with high volatility, short shelf life and fragmented data from loose variable-weight items sourced across diverse supplier networks.
Ida’s platform delivers daily forecasts and AI-driven trading recommendations, guiding store teams on how much to order and providing in-store production plans. This enables grocers to reduce waste, maintain availability and improve labour efficiency at store level.
Fresh products hardest to get right
“Fresh products have always been the hardest category to get right, where waste, availability, and margin meet daily reality,” said Mikko Kärkkäinen, Group CEO and Co-Founder, Relex Solutions in a press release: “By integrating Ida’s advanced fresh replenishment capabilities, we’re helping grocers act faster and smarter across every category.”
“Joining Relex is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine how the world manages fresh food,” said Mateo Beacco, CEO and Co-Founder of Ida: “Together, we are creating the global standard for fresh optimisation, reducing waste at scale, boosting availability, and empowering every store team with AI that delivers measurable impact from day one.”
Full integration planned
Ida’s category-specific capabilities are to be integrate into Relex’ unified platform to give grocery retailers a single planning environment that connects store operations with supply chain execution from supplier to shelf across all product categories. Together, these capabilities will form Relex Fresh Store Ordering and strengthen its in-store Production Planning capabilities, bridging the gap between store operations and retail planning.
