Australia's largest wholesale distributor to independent grocery, liquor, and hardware retailers has deepened its AI investment, embedding Coveo's conversational search technology directly into Metcash's AskROSS retailer communications portal. The move shifts the platform from traditional keyword lookup to intent-driven, natural-language queries — letting independent store operators ask questions in plain language and receive targeted, generative AI-powered answers without waiting for support staff.
The Operator Angle
For the independent retailers that Metcash supplies across food, liquor, and hardware channels, the practical benefit is speed and self-sufficiency. Routine information requests — stock queries, promotional details, operational guidance — can now be resolved through self-service rather than a support ticket or phone call. Madeleine Fitzpatrick, general manager retail at Metcash, framed it as a step-change in how the wholesale network supports its retail base: "Retailers can now ask questions in natural language and receive fast, trusted answers that help them make better decisions. That means less time spent searching for information, more time focused on serving shoppers."
The same AI layer is expected to surface within the agent-facing side of the platform as well, helping Metcash support teams handle more complex inquiries more efficiently — a dual benefit that mirrors how AI tools are reshaping customer-service workflows across foodservice and hospitality.
Building on Existing AI Deployment
The AskROSS expansion is not a first step for Metcash in AI-powered commerce. The wholesaler already runs Coveo's search and relevance technology inside Sorted, its online B2B marketplace, giving the technology a proven track record within the same ecosystem before being extended to retailer communications. Publicis Sapient, the enterprise AI services firm that has partnered with Metcash for two years, helped architect the retailer experience and content foundations underpinning both deployments.
Cassandra Kelsall, head of advisory at Publicis Sapient Australia, pointed to a broader opportunity that will resonate with operators evaluating AI investments: "There's real potential for AI in B2B, from agentic commerce to AI-powered search, because it turns complex information and systems into practical value." That framing — practical value over novelty — is increasingly the lens through which wholesale and foodservice distribution operators are assessing AI adoption, particularly as margins stay thin and the cost of support operations rises.
What It Signals for Wholesale Foodservice
Metcash's move reflects a wider pattern in the wholesale and foodservice supply chain: distributors are investing in digital self-service layers to reduce friction for the independent operators they serve. As grocery and liquor independents compete against vertically integrated chains, faster access to supplier information and support can translate directly into operational efficiency and, ultimately, shelf availability. For technology vendors and distributors watching this space, Metcash's phased rollout — marketplace first, communications portal second, agent tools next — offers a practical blueprint for scaling AI without disrupting existing workflows.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
