Software solutions produce platform partners with retailer

Artificial intelligence-powered produce ordering platform EmpowerFresh has partnered with Karns Quality Foods, a family-owned grocery retailer, to enhance inventory management. 

Founded in 1959, Karns Quality Foods has 10 stores throughout central Pennsylvania.

“We’ve always believed that great food starts with great people and great processes,” company president Mat Rudderow said in a news release. “EmpowerFresh gives our produce teams better visibility and confidence in their ordering decisions while still honoring the experience and judgment our associates bring every day. It’s a tool that supports our values rather than replacing them.” 

EmpowerFresh’s software solutions platform incorporates sales history and AI-driven forecasting to help reduce shrink, improve in-stock conditions, increase turns and reduce labor, according to the release.

“Karns is exactly the kind of retailer we built EmpowerFresh for,” EmpowerFresh co-founder and chief operating officer Jesse Himango said in the release. “They care deeply about quality, their associates, and their customers. Our goal is to give the produce teams clarity and confidence, using data as a support system, not a mandate. Partnering with a family-owned company like Karns that truly values its people is incredibly meaningful to us.”

The partnership reflects close collaboration with Four Seasons Produce, Karns’ long-time supplier and a strategic partner to EmpowerFresh. 

“When retailers and suppliers are working from the same playbook, everyone wins,” said Jon Steffy, Four Seasons Produce vice president and general manager of Four Seasons Produce. “EmpowerFresh creates better alignment across the supply chain by improving forecast accuracy, reducing waste and supporting smarter ordering decisions at the store level. Karns is a best-in-class retailer, and this partnership reflects a shared commitment to freshness, efficiency, and long-term success.”