Starbucks Rolls Out AI Inventory System to North American Stores

Starbucks is rolling out an artificial intelligence (AI) system for inventory counting to over 11,000 company-owned stores across North America. The global coffee chain announced on Wednesday that this deployment will be completed by the end of September 2025.

Credit: Starbucks

The new system enables workers to scan inventory shelves with a handheld tablet. This tablet is equipped with software designed to automatically count goods and flag items that are in low supply.

Chief Technology Officer Deb Hall Lefevre stated the system allows for faster replenishment and more consistent availability of in-store items. This includes products such as cold foam, oat milk, and caramel drizzle.

Lefevre added, "Customers can enjoy beverages their way, every time — and partners spend less time in the backroom and more time crafting and connecting." She noted the technology has already been introduced in thousands of stores.

Credit: Starbucks

In these stores, inventories are now counted eight times more frequently. The rollout is part of Starbucks' broader plan for optimising its supply chains.

NomadGo provides the AI technology, which offers similar inventory counting services to other chains. According to its website, this includes a franchisee for Taco Bell and KFC.

NomadGo CEO David Greschler remarked, "Since the dawn of time, inventory has been a manual, tedious, and inaccurate task." The company described its technology as a "unique synthesis of on-device 3D spatial intelligence, computer vision, and augmented reality."

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• Starbucks is deploying an AI-powered inventory counting system to over 11,000 North American company-owned stores.

• The rollout is expected to be completed by the end of September 2025.

• The system uses handheld tablets to automatically count stock and identify low-supply items, enhancing replenishment and product availability.

Source: REUTERS