Enhancing on-premises and off-premises visibility - The rise of Retail Image Recognition for Beer Manufacturers

How Image Recognition Technology is Changing the Game for Beer Brands

The beer industry is more competitive than ever! Breweries and beer manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to stand out, whether in bars, restaurants, taprooms, or retail spaces like supermarkets and convenience stores. To stay ahead, they need a clear picture of how their products are displayed and performing across different locations. That’s where advanced tech like AI and image recognition comes in, helping brands track product placement, customer engagement, and market trends in real time.

According to FoodDive, nearly half of food and beverage manufacturers in 2020 said automating repetitive tasks was a major challenge, and a whopping 84% admitted their current data systems couldn’t keep up with their needs. Fast forward five years, and these challenges still exist!

So, how is image recognition making a difference? It’s revolutionizing the way beer brands manage visibility, streamline inventory, and boost their presence in stores and bars.

Execution Gaps Cost Up to 5% of Sales

When it comes to beer sales, visibility is everything. Whether a customer is scanning a packed shelf at the store or deciding what to order at a busy bar, strategic product placement and branding play a huge role in influencing their choice. But visibility isn’t just about being seen, it’s about making sure products have the right shelf space, complying with distribution agreements, and understanding what customers are drawn to.

Traditionally, brands have relied on manual audits and surveys to track their retail execution. While useful, these methods are time consuming and prone to human error, especially as the number of retail touchpoints keeps growing. That’s why image recognition technology is stepping in, offering a faster, more accurate way to track shelf conditions, monitor brand presence, and ensure beer brands get the visibility they need to thrive both in stores and on tap!

In a hyper-competitive beer market, visibility - both in bars and on shelves drives revenue, premiumization and brand loyalty. Yet manual audits and fractured data still leave brewers blind to execution gaps that cost up to 5% of sales. Embedding AI-powered image recognition into field workflows addresses out-of-stocks, planogram non-compliance and menu absences in real time, delivering single-digit uplifts in revenue per outlet and double-digit gains in compliance. This playbook outlines the core Sales Drivers and Catalysts fueling modern brewers, details On-Premise and Off-Premise channels, and prescribes Sales Excellence practices by channel - culminating in a practical, data-driven roadmap any retail sales leader can deploy with a computer-vision platform at its heart.

Bringing AI to Beer: How Image Recognition is Changing the Game

What is Image Recognition?

Imagine having a smart assistant that can instantly scan store shelves, coolers, menus, and promotional displays to check how well a beer brand is performing. That’s exactly what image recognition does. This technology, powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), analyzes images and videos to provide real-time insights into product placement, availability, and promotional impact. By using mobile devices and cloud-based platforms, beer brands can now get instant, data-driven updates on how their products are positioned in different retail spaces.

How Does Image Recognition Work?

For beer brands, image recognition is a game-changer. It can:

• 1. Identify products on store shelves, in bars, and in promotional displays.
• 2. Track competitor presence and analyze how much shelf space a brand gets.
• 3. Monitor promotions to see if displays are set up correctly and are driving sales.
• 4. Ensure compliance with retail agreements and branding standards.
• 5. Analyze customer engagement using heatmaps and even facial recognition to see how shoppers interact with products.

Why Beer Brands Love Image Recognition

1. Smarter Retail Execution

• a. AI-Powered Audits: No more time-consuming manual checks. With a quick in-store photo, AI instantly analyzes shelf conditions, saving time and reducing labor costs.
• b. Better Compliance: Ensure stores follow merchandising standards and promotional setups, AI will flag any inconsistencies in real time.
• c. Valuable Insights: See what’s selling, track customer preferences, and make smarter inventory decisions.
• d. Boosted Productivity: Field teams spend less time auditing and more time fixing execution issues, leading to better sales and coverage.

2. Better On-Shelf Visibility

• a. SKU-Level Monitoring: AI doesn’t just recognize brands, it detects specific SKUs, flagging overstocked or understocked products.
• b. Shelf Share Analysis: Instantly measure how much space your brand takes up compared to competitors and optimize product placement.
• c. Promotion Tracking: Make sure promotional materials and in-store ads are correctly placed for maximum impact.
• d. Real-Time Adjustments: Get instant feedback on product availability and promotions so field teams can take immediate action.

3. Consistency Across Channels

1. a. Unified Promotions: Coordinate campaigns seamlessly across bars, restaurants, and retail stores for a strong, consistent message.
2. b. Brand Consistency: Keep branding and messaging uniform across all locations to build trust and recognition.
3. c. Cross-Channel Insights: Combine data from both on-premises (bars, restaurants) and off-premises (stores, supermarkets) to fine-tune marketing strategies.

The Future is Clear with Image Recognition

For beer brands, visibility is everything. With AI-powered image recognition, companies can now track and optimize their presence in real time, making smarter decisions that boost sales and efficiency. It’s no longer just about placing products on shelves, it’s about making sure they’re seen, stocked, and sold.

How Image Recognition Helps Identify Products and SKUs

In the beverage industry, image recognition is a game-changer when it comes to identifying and classifying products, also known as SKUs (Stock Keeping Units). By using AI, brands can quickly and accurately recognize different products based on packaging, labeling, and branding. 

Here’s how it works:

• 1. Training AI Models: AI is trained using product images, allowing it to learn the unique patterns and features of each SKU. This helps ensure accurate recognition in real-world settings.
• 2. Object Detection: Once trained, the AI can scan images from stores and instantly detect and classify products on shelves, in coolers, or on promotional displays. This helps brands track product placement, availability, and compliance with promotions.
• 3. SKU Identification: With precise SKU recognition, brands can keep a close eye on inventory levels, monitor sales trends, and optimize product assortment to better meet consumer demand.

By leveraging AI-powered image recognition, beverage brands can gain valuable insights and improve their retail execution, making sure the right products are in the right place at the right time.

How Image Recognition Enhances Retail Execution for beer category 

Image recognition technology is transforming the way beverage brands manage their presence in both on-premises (bars, restaurants) and off-premises (retail stores, supermarkets) channels. By analyzing images from these locations, brands can ensure their products are correctly placed, properly stocked, and getting the visibility they need.

On-Premises Channels

• 1. Menu Analysis: AI scans menus in bars and restaurants to check if a brand’s beverages are listed, helping ensure proper placement and visibility.
• 2. Back Bar Monitoring: By analyzing images of bar shelves, brands can optimize how their products are positioned to boost sales.
• 3. Cooler Purity Checks: Image recognition ensures that branded coolers contain the right products and are stocked according to guidelines.

Off-Premises Channels

• 1. Beverage Cooler Checks: Cameras equipped with image recognition can track beverage coolers in stores, providing real-time insights into stock levels and shelf space.
• 2. Shelf Share Analysis: AI helps brands understand their shelf positioning compared to competitors, ensuring their products get the best visibility.‍
• 3. Promotional Display Verification: Brands can monitor in-store displays and promotional materials to make sure they’re correctly set up and having the desired impact.

With image recognition, brands can make data-driven decisions to optimize retail execution, improve visibility, and ultimately drive sales.

Why Beer Brands Are Embracing Image Recognition

Adopting image recognition technology comes with a range of benefits that help beer brands stay competitive and maximize their retail performance.

Key Benefits

• 1. Fewer Out-of-Stock Issues: Quickly spot and resolve product shortages to ensure key items and must-stock products are always available.
• 2. Smarter Decision Making: Use real-time data to fine-tune marketing strategies and optimize sales efforts.
• 3. Better Compliance: Ensure retailers and distributors follow trade agreements, keeping your brand’s presence strong.‍
• 4. Competitive Intelligence: Stay ahead of the competition by monitoring market trends and reacting faster to shifts in consumer demand.

Real-world Image Recognition Implementation

A leading beverage company faced challenges in retail execution due to sub-par shelf conditions such as delayed report generation and low accuracy in data collected using manual audits. 

To address these challenges, the company turned to ParallelDot’s Image Recognition solution ShelfWatch. 

Key Outcomes:

• 1. 95%+ accuracy in SKU identification
• 2. Real-time shelf KPIs and execution data
• 3. Substantial reduction in store visit time for field team
• 4. Improved compliance with Planograms, Pricing, Assortment, and Brand Neighbourhood standards
• 5. Efficient tracking of 211 SKUs across tens of thousands of retail accounts

This implementation significantly improved retail execution, ensuring accurate and timely data for better decision-making.

The Future of Image Recognition in the Beer Industry

As AI and image recognition technology continue to evolve, they are set to bring even more exciting innovations to the beer industry. These advancements will not only improve efficiency but also enhance consumer experiences in new and engaging ways.

One exciting development is the integration of augmented reality (AR). Imagine scanning a beer label or tap handle with your smartphone to unlock interactive experiences, like virtual brewery tours, cocktail recipes, or personalized beer recommendations. This kind of technology can make the customer journey more immersive and fun.

Additionally, advancements in predictive analytics will help breweries stay ahead of market trends. AI models can analyze past sales, social media trends, and real-time shelf insights to predict demand, optimize inventory, and minimize waste. This means brands can better align production with consumer preferences, reducing stock shortages and overproduction.

A More Digital and Data-Driven Future

Image recognition is already transforming the beer industry by providing real-time insights into product placement, inventory levels, and consumer engagement. As more brands adopt this technology, they’ll gain a stronger competitive edge in an increasingly digital marketplace. Those that embrace these innovations will be the ones shaping the future of beer marketing, retail execution, and customer experience.

To know more on how you can adopt Image Recognition for your brand, you could reach out to us by scheduling a demo