US grocery retailer DeCicco & Sons has expanded Simbe’s Store Intelligence platform chainwide following a 35% reduction in out-of-stocks within the first 60 days at its pilot locations.

Simbe’s autonomous shelf scanning robot, Tally, captures detailed shelf conditions multiple times daily. That intelligence flows into the retailer’s existing systems, helping teams identify and resolve issues faster while supporting applications spanning store operations, e-commerce, and business intelligence.

“Our customers count on us to have the products they love and a team ready to help,” says John DeCicco Jr., CEO, DeCicco & Sons. “Simbe helps us deliver on both. Digitising our shelves is foundational to our broader technology strategy, because it gives every system we run an accurate picture of what’s happening in our stores. With real-time visibility into stores, our teams can address corrective fixes sooner and spend more time providing the personal service that brings people back to DeCiccos.”

A critical element of DeCicco & Sons’ success has been integrating physical intelligence directly into existing workflows. Rather than requiring store teams to adopt another standalone tool, Simbe connects shelf-level data to the systems and routines they already use. This approach enables associates to stop searching for issues and focus on resolving them instead, while giving business teams access to a consistent, accurate understanding of store conditions.

“Having better information about our shelves helps us take better care of our customers and our team,” says Chris Dapolito, Manager at DeCicco & Sons, Sleepy Hollow. “I’m spending more of my day out in the store, talking with shoppers and supporting our department managers. Those relationships are a big part of what makes DeCiccos special, and Tally helps us build on them.”

“DeCicco & Sons recognised early that the future of retail operations depends on continuous understanding of what’s happening inside physical stores,” says Caitlin Allen, SVP, Market at Simbe. “By connecting that intelligence to the systems and people running its business, DeCiccos is demonstrating how physical AI can elevate shopper experience, empower associates, and lay the foundation for increasingly autonomous retail.”

2026 RTIH Innovation Awards

Automation was a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.

Check out our winners here.

The awards celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world. Our winners were revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.

The event consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, awards ceremony presided over by award winning stand-up comedian, presenter, actor and broadcaster, Aurie Styla, and after party until 1am.