Artificial intelligence (AI) is now rapidly gaining importance in the food industry as well. The Swiss start-up Hoshii AG has developed a globally unique AI Workspace Platform (AWP) for wholesalers that automates manual data transfers and integrates AI functions into ERP systems. Orders, inquiries, and other data are transferred from the inbox to the ERP system within seconds. "Wholesalers thus save up to six hours per employee per week, reduce errors by 84 percent, and increase the average shopping cart size by 15 percent," reports Jiir Awdir, CEO of Hoshii AG.
After starting out in Switzerland and Germany, the young company is now expanding into the United Kingdom. The start-up has also already acquired its first customers in Italy and the United States. "We support users throughout the entire food industry, from regionally operating wholesalers to large corporations such as Metro AG," says Awdir.
Great application potential in the fruit trade sector
He sees a lot of catching up and investment to be done in the fruit trade industry in particular. However, he emphasizes that the application potential in this market segment is huge. "Especially in an industry where margins are relatively low, and every cent counts, the above-mentioned returns on investment (ROI) naturally have a significant impact on the bottom line. Many are afraid of converting the entire ERP system, but in practice, this is not necessary. We do not offer new ERP software, but we support companies by making their existing ERP software AI-capable. That is a fundamental difference."
The founding team of Hoshi AG: Chihiro Okuyama, Ayoub Chouak, and CEO Jiir Awdir
The wholesale industry faces a labor shortage. In the EU alone, 10.8 million people work in the industry, which represents five percent of Europe's total labor force, Awdir estimates. "Yet the industry faces immense labor shortages, while millions are busy with repetitive tasks. Adam, the AI colleague, automates the processing of unstructured data, handles customer inquiries, and enters information seamlessly into ERP systems. This allows teams to focus on higher-value tasks and increase efficiency."
Photo credit: Hoshii AG
For more information:
Jiir Awdir
Hoshii AG
Zollikerstrasse 1
8008 Zurich
contact@hoshii.ai
www.hoshii.ai