Kroger
UI/UX Design
System Design
Kroger ReSKU
Fostering Effective Communication Between Kroger Warehouses and Food Banks
Kroger’s ‘Zero Hunger, Zero Waste’ goal of rescuing surplus food from stores, has enabled Kroger to donate millions of pounds of food to worthy food banks. While retail stores have relatively structured approaches to donations, warehouses & distribution centers have more varied systems, due to a number of business and logistical challenges. This project introduces ReSKU, a web app and a companion mobile app to streamline this process by digitizing it, to facilitate faster and more efficient food donations.
Project vision — ReSKU is a progressive web app (PWA) and a companion mobile app designed to enhance coordination between warehouse employees and food bank representatives for better digital donation management
Kroger ECO Hackathon
COMPANY PROFILE
Kroger
MY ROLE
UX Design
UI Design
UX Design
UX Research
SERVICES
Supply chain
INDUSTRY
The Design Process
Studying
the brief
Drawing
insights
Crafting
User journeys
Building
Information
Architecture
Ideating and
Wireframing
Creating
the Prototype
The Beginning
Kroger, one of the largest grocery retailers in the United States, has long been committed to sustainability through its "Zero Hunger Zero Waste" initiative. This ambitious program aims to eliminate food waste while tackling hunger in the communities Kroger serves.
However, the process of donating unsellable but consumable goods from their warehouses to local food banks was fraught with inefficiencies. Manual paperwork, informal communication channels, and a lack of real-time data tracking made the process cumbersome and prone to errors.
Lack of Real-Time Data
Manual Paperwork
Fragmented Communication
Transparency Issues
Increased Food Waste
Ineffective Data Management
The Research Phase
Stepping Into the Warehouse
Conversations with Stakeholders
Goals
In the first leg of our research, our questions and goals were a lot broader - trying to understand overall systems and their impact on the key stakeholders. Further it involved multiple phases, including secondary research on Kroger’s sustainability goals and primary research through stakeholder interviews and warehouse visits.
Our research journey began with visits to Kroger’s warehouses, where we hoped to get a real sense of how the food donation process worked. Walking through the busy aisles, we saw firsthand the challenges staff faced.
The main stakeholders we were going to be designing for would include:
Warehouse staff responsible for managing inventory and logistics.
Food bank operators who will coordinate with Kroger for receiving donations.
User interviews - The real deal
Food Sourcing Managers at Foodbanks
Working with Hoosier Hills Food Bank, we discovered that the food donation process relied heavily on third-party platforms like Meal Connect. The food bank faced challenges in accessing and tracking donated inventory, ensuring food quality, and maintaining effective communication with Kroger.
Member of Zero hunger zero waste team
Discussions with Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste team highlighted issues such as dependence on manual processes, limited internal tracking systems, and inadequate coordination with food banks.
Warehouse Managers
Frustrated by the lack of a single system for tracking donations. They explained how manual records often led to delays and mistakes.
Gathering the insights
Synthesis
01
Reporting & Visibility
Food banks struggle with timely and accurate donation data due to reliance on third-party agencies.
03
Operational inefficiencies
Manual processes for donation selection at Kroger stores lead to inefficiencies and errors.
02
Communication & coordination
Efficient communication between food banks and retail stores remains a challenge, even with platforms like FeedingAmerica.
From identifying unsellable goods to final delivery at food banks, every step was scrutinized. We created detailed flowcharts to visualize the journey of a donated item, identifying bottlenecks and points of failure. This comprehensive analysis revealed three key issues:
We decided to map out the process involved on both fronts
ReSKU
Introducing
ReSKU is a progressive web app (PWA) and a companion mobile app designed to enhance coordination between warehouse employees and food bank representatives for better digital donation management.
Reporting
Transperency
Efficiency
Defining the Problem
How might we help Kroger warehouses digitize the handling of unsellable goods to ensure clear and efficient coordination with food banks?
How does ReSKU help Kroger?
More insightful data
Tax deductions
Reduced disposal costs
Brand awareness
Impact and Future Steps
ReSKU aligns with Kroger's sustainability goals by reducing food waste and supporting community welfare through efficient food donation. Moving forward, the focus will be on refining the app based on user feedback and exploring opportunities for wider implementation across Kroger's network.
In summary, ReSKU not only addresses operational challenges but also reinforces Kroger's commitment to sustainability, setting a benchmark for digital innovation in the grocery retail sector.
Working Together Helps Feed the Human Spirit
