Boston, Massachusetts (October 4, 2017) – IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that growing numbers of companies are teaming with IBM to plug into the power of the Internet of Things (IoT) to unveil new data, reinvent their businesses and deliver superior customer experiences. Experts predict there will be 8.4 billion connected things in 2017 and 20.4 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices deployed by 2020. These devices are creating mountains of data. With IBM Watson IoT, thousands of companies can plug into this data to generate business-critical insights that previously have been locked away. Golden State Foods (GSF) is one of the largest diversified food processors and distributors in the United States. The 70-year-old company is turning to technology advances and IBM IoT as part of an effort to drive operational excellence by using insights from connected things to improve fleet management and driver safety while also creating new business models with its “Connected Restaurant” project. GSF has long set the standard for distribution in the industry, delivering hundreds of millions of cases of food to thousands of Quick Service Restaurants globally. Currently, the company is tackling two big opportunities for growth and innovation in the food service industry. The first of their pilot programs centers on fleet management. GSF selected ‘Watson IoT for Automotive’ to bring cognitive computing and augmented intelligence to its distribution operations. GSF plans to improve fleet management and driver safety for its approximately 1,000 trucks, which travel more than 55 million miles each year and make over 25,000 deliveries per week. Using Watson IoT for Automotive, which incorporates weather, traffic and telematics data, GSF will be able to optimize and transform food distribution—ensuring reliability and freshness. In addition, by combining wearable IoT devices and predictive analytics, GSF expects to improve driver safety. For the second pilot, GSF is enabling restaurant insights and real-time business intelligence in the palm of the restaurant owner to improve operational efficiency. The initial proof of concept of “Connected Restaurant” focuses on energy, equipment, and restaurant-wellness management by collecting real-time data from a set of sensors and combining that with predictive analytics and machine learning to drive decisions. “Innovation in the food service industry typically refers to creating new items on the menu, but GSF is taking that same spirit and applying it to the way restaurants can use technology to transform their operations and supply chain,” said Bob Wolpert, corporate senior vice president and president, GSF Logistics. “IBM is giving us greater insights into the finer points of our business, from predicting exceptions to recommending the best course of action. It’s this level of knowledge that will allow us set the new standard for the food service industry.” GSF envisions a future where restaurant owners, using the “Connected Restaurant” solution, can better plan inventory, energy, and maintenance management, allowing restaurant employees to shift their time from the back to the front of the restaurant. About Golden State Foods Golden State Foods (www.goldenstatefoods.com) is one of the largest diversified suppliers to the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry. Established in 1947, the company is values-based with proven performance in superior quality, innovation and customer service throughout the QSR industry. With approximately 7,000 employees worldwide, GSF services more than 125,000 stores on five continents from its 50 facilities. Its core businesses include processing of liquid products, protein, produce, dairy and full-line logistics services to the QSR and retail industries. The company also runs the GSF Foundation, a national non-profit organization to help children and families in need. For more information, please visit: www.gsffoundation.org
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