V and B—Vin et Bière, or Wine and Beer—has been growing, with 262 bar stores, and 80% of them franchised. The French company plans to open a new 7,200 sq. m (77,500 sq. ft.) warehouse in January 2024 in Château Gontier sur Mayenne. V and B has decided to use SCALLOG robots to meet its performance, agility, and corporate social responsibility objectives.
The concept behind the V and B franchise is a combination of a wine and beer cellar with a bar for people to meet after work to “share good times around good products.” With 20 to 25 openings a year since 2015, the brand is growing quickly, and it opened its first store in England in 2022.
In addition to a tried-and-tested concept, the brand offers its franchisees a wide range of product, including 350 beers, 350 wines, 200 whiskies, and 100 rums. It also shares high-performance logistics and a strong reputation, with the organization of the V and B Fest festival and the sponsorship of sailor Maxime Sorel.
The company has also reported growing e-commerce activity since 2020, with volumes set to increase by over 80% this year. V and B's new facility will join its its existing 12,000 sq. m (129,100 sq. ft.) warehouse to optimize lead times for supplying its stores and preparing retail orders for its Internet customers.
V and B chose a SCALLOG goods-to-person (G2P) system to increase storage density, speed up the picking of goods and point-of-sale displays, and absorb peaks in activity, all while optimizing operator productivity and working conditions.
“To support our growth until 2030, we are taking a new step in our logistics by making it more agile and productive with a new warehouse, a new organization, and new automated processes, supported by SCALLOG robotics, to deliver our B2B and B2C customers ever faster,” stated Aaron Smet, logistics manager at V and B. “As proof of our flexibility, we have the possibility of doubling our storage area in our new warehouse as early as 2025.”
New warehouse to use robots for flexibility, scalability
V and B faced an increase in the volume of its business-to-business and business-to-consumer activities and a multitude of activity peaks, from the year's end festivities to themed evenings such as Beaujolais Nouveau. In November, the company plans to acquire the new warehouse, where it will need to optimize space, secure spirit stocks, and automate tasks to reduce operator drudgery and stress.
For winter 2023, V and B sought flexible, agile automation that can be integrated into a 1,200 sq. m (12,916.6 sq. ft.) mezzanine floor. It also wanted to guarantee “flawless” tracking of individual spirits references, in compliance with customs regulations, and speed up order picking.
In addition, the chain wanted to improve working conditions in a region where logistics jobs are under competitive pressure. V and B wanted a technology that was “perceived as modern” to help recrut and retain operators.
SCALLOG claimed that its mobile robots are easy to integrate. The company also said it can optimize the storage and picking of retail orders for a multitude of products in atypical formats, from snacks to spirits.
The system can boost operator productivity by eliminating unnecessary movement and optimally manage seasonal peaks in activity, said SCALLOG. V and B said its corporate culture was a good match for the robotics supplier.
“What’s more, SCALLOG is like us – a fast-growing French company on a human scale, combining innovation and daring,” said Smet.
V and B selected SCALLOG's G2P robots in April 2023. The project is structured around three milestones:
- In-depth analysis and setting up a steering committee in summer 2023
- Installation of the solution and extensive testing of bottle stability in cartons in October
- Switchover in November 2023
In order to ease its transition to robotics, V and B said it has involved employees who “want to evolve” in the ergonomics of the order-picking workstation.
G2P system designed to maximize performance, wellness
Ultimately, SCALLOC’s 300 sq. m (3229.1 sq. ft.) automated surface area will be fully screened and located on a concrete mezzanine above the loading docks. It will store and manage over 1,500 SKUs, from spirits to point-of-purchase (POP) items of various sizes and B and C rotation.
The mezzanine will feature 130 mobile shelves, transported by five robots to two picking and replenishment stations. SCALLOG said its G2P system will guarantee V and B optimum security across its entire warehouse chain. This will meet franchisee expectations for improved stock management and traceability, triple controls, and order preparation in sealed bins, according to the company.
With the new automation, V and B said it will be able to smooth out peaks in activity without needing to hire, which is especially important during the winter months, when business can quadruple.
“With the SCALLOG solution, we want to double our productivity to improve responsiveness and performance so that we can better serve our B2B and B2C customers,” said Smet.
As the first company in Mayenne to be certified as a “Great Place to Work,” V and B claimed that SCALLOG's robots will help it meet its CSR goals by eliminating travel and load-carrying requirements for its workers.
“This new signature demonstrates the versatility and agility of SCALLOG’s robotic solution in meeting two key factors of warehouse performance: floor space efficiency and human productivity,” noted Romain Demay, business development manager at SCALLOG. “We are delighted to have V and B as our first reference in the French alcoholic beverages sector – wines, spirits and beers – which enjoys a worldwide reputation in this field.”
About SCALLOG
Founded in 2013, SCALLOG designs, manufactures, and markets automated systems to boost warehouse agility and productivity for third-party logistics (3PL), e-commerce, distribution, and manufacturing companies.
It asserted that its G2P range includes “the best ‘smart’ decision-making and execution software” and mobile robots to help logistics operators increase order-picking flexibility.
The Nanterre, France-based company said that it has more than 60 clients and that it is aiming to accelerate its growth in Europe and worldwide.
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