Walk into one of our distribution centers and you’ll find something remarkable: decades of experience. Produce quality inspections have long relied on skilled judgment grounded in Albertsons Cos.’ established quality standards.
Associates carefully review each shipment, looking for subtle differences in color, condition and freshness. Albertsons Companies’ Intelligent Quality Control tool, an AI and Vision powered solution, strengthens that process by adding a consistent, data-driven layer:
- Inspectors capture images of produce during their normal workflow.
- The tool evaluates each image against our quality standards.
- It assigns a score and highlights specific issues, like discoloration.
- Inspectors make the final decision with better, clearer insight.
Meet Replenishment Manager, Bryan Presley, and Quality Control Inspectors Chris Carbajal and Eileen Liebzeit from our Brea, California, distribution center as they show us how to use this AI tool on their latest shipment of strawberries.
Better Together: Technology + Human Judgment
This tool’s strength comes not only from technology, but from how people use it.
- Associates remain in control: The final decision belongs to the inspector.
- Judgment is enhanced, not replaced: AI provides data-driven recommendations, but expertise drives action.
- Consistency improves across teams and shifts: Everyone is aligned to the same high standard.
Delivering on Our Fresh Promise
At the end of the day, this work connects back to something simple but essential: earning customer trust.
By combining the expertise of our talented quality control inspectors with the power of AI, we are strengthening our ability to consistently deliver fresh, high-quality food.
Just as importantly, we are demonstrating what’s possible when technology and people align around a shared purpose.
Technology handles complexity and scale. Our people bring context, judgment and accountability to help make Albertsons Companies the fresh destination.