SpartanNash hosted its first IT Training Palooza this week, bringing together more than 300 employees from across the country to explore technology trends and leading innovation to reshape the grocery industry.
“Being ‘People First’ includes providing our associates with development opportunities that allow them to gain hands-on experience with new-to-world technology that sharpens their skills around customer-centric innovation,” said Masiar Tayebi, EVP and chief strategy and information officer.
“This event not only shows our investment in our associates but in driving the future of grocery to create a better customer experience.”
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SpartanNash’s IT Training Palooza featured more than 50 sessions covering topics from integrating AI into daily coding and applying an agile delivery model to innovation to best practices in change management and leadership and the social and ethical impacts of AI. Top tech companies such as Microsoft and Snowflake offered their insights.
Over the three-day event, employees logged more than 5,000 hours in an intensive and fun festival environment, making this the largest IT training event in SpartanNash’s history. The kickoff included a check presentation to local organization Bravo LT, which is partnering with SpartanNash to develop the next generation of IT leaders within the West Michigan community.
SpartanNash is also using AI to predict shopper demand and reduce waste, and it is using autonomous inventory robots to provide real-time data intelligence at the shelf.
