This year, GIANT Food Stores in the Philadelphia region will welcome a robot named Marty. The robot was tested in the Harrisburg and Carlise stores and the supermarket company plans to use them in 172 stores. Marty will be able to identify spills and other hazards in the aisles.
What to Know
- A tall, gray robot named “Marty” is coming to a GIANT Food Stores location near you.
- GIANT Food Stores says 'Marty' the grocery robot will be checking for spills at all 172 of its stores.
- The grocer hopes Marty gives its employees more time to serve customers.
A googly-eyed robot is showing up at your local GIANT Food Stores grocery aisle.
The tall, gray robot named “Marty” moves around the store unassisted, identifying liquid, powder and bulk food spills and quickly correcting the issue to “mitigate risk caused by such spills,” GIANT Food Stores says.
Marty has already been unleashed for trial runs over the past year in stores in Harrisburg and Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
“Bringing robotics and A.I. from a research lab to the sales floor has been a very exciting journey, and we were thrilled by the customer response in our pilot stores,” GIANT Food Stores president Nicholas Bertram said. “Our associates have worked hard to bring this innovation to life with amazing partners.”
The supermarket company, founded in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, has 172 locations spread out across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. Versions of Marty will be deployed at each store with the goal of giving workers most time to serve customers, GIANT said.
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Marty should be at your assistance by the middle of the year, GIANT said.
