TOM (GRAVITATE): HI ERICA, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT KWIK TRIP.

Erica (Kwik Trip): I am the Fuel Project Manager. I manage the system selection, evaluation, and delivery of projects related to the fuel group here at Kwik Trip. My role supports trading and supply, retail pricing, petroleum dispatch, and transportation. In recent years, most of the projects have related to software, but they could include hard technologies too, or not be IT related at all. Given that Gravitate touches most of our fuel supply chain (procurement and forecasting through to dispatch and ultimately transportation into the ground at our retail sites), I have been heavily involved in the project.

TOM (GRAVITATE): INTERESTING. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT KT AND THE C-STORE INDUSTRY?

Erica (Kwik Trip): I like the fact that I have been able to effectively support Kwik Trip’s continued rapid growth. We have grown by an average of 7% year over year for the last 5 years. We have grown organically and through acquisitions, and both have led to a need to implement new processes and technologies across the business to realize efficiencies. The cool thing about fuel is that you see the impact rapidly when things get implemented. Right now, we are testing with Gravitate, and I can already see how quickly the software will impact our business. The C-store industry is exciting because of the consolidation. The smaller details have become more critical as competition has grown. It's nice to be able to correlate small changes we make in our business to improvements in the bottom line and better customer experience.

TOM (GRAVITATE): WHEN DID YOU START LOOKING FOR A BEST BUY SOLUTION? WHAT CHALLENGES WERE YOU FACING WITH YOUR EXISTING BEST BUY & DISPATCH PROCESS?

Erica (Kwik Trip): We started looking about 2 years ago. Our internal processes around best buy and dispatch were manual and systems were fragmented. We realized that there were opportunities being left on the table, and we wanted to have better visibility into exactly what was going on day-to-day. We also saw an opportunity to make better supply decisions based on fundamentals and we lacked the ability to react quickly, from a logistics perspective, to market changes. Dispatch was also looking for a replacement for an outdated solution. Our challenge was that most of the dispatch solutions on the market were light on the best buy front. We have a complex business and needed a solution that could meet all of our needs. Gravitate was the clear market leader when it came to the best buy engine, and the use of AI and machine learning throughout the solution was a big proponent. The solution is also fully integrated, which keeps everyone on the same page from front to end.

TOM (GRAVITATE): DID YOU DO A FULL MARKET ASSESSMENT BEFORE YOU SELECTED GRAVITATE? WHAT WERE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF GRAVITATE?

Erica (Kwik Trip): Yes. We did a full market assessment. The benefits of Gravitate for us were three main areas: the supply optimization engine (best buy), the integrated nature of the solution, and the flexibility and strength of the product roadmap. As I mentioned, we have a complex strategy and supply chain and we needed a software partner with deep expertise in machine learning and data science to meet our optimization scenarios. Gravitate’s best buy engine was the only solution on the market that fit our needs. It also has a simple user interface so you don’t need to be a computer expert to use it. A dynamic business like ours also needs an integrated solution. When the market shifts or we face a supply outage, Gravitate will quickly revise orders, update dispatch, and has the ability to redirect trucks (even if they are already en route). We needed this level of sophistication, and it proved hard to find in other solutions. Finally, Gravitate has a strong product roadmap and like Kwik Trip, is constantly looking for ways to improve and be the best. The solution is flexible and easy to integrate with. Another important aspect is the Gravitate Team. They have been great to work with, as they share our roll up your sleeves work ethic, and in addition to that, they understand our business.

TOM (GRAVITATE): AWESOME. FINAL QUESTION: WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO GAIN FROM GRAVITATE?

Erica (Kwik Trip): Good question. We are hoping to benefit from Gravitate in many ways, including the following:

  • Increased profitability, lower in-ground cost of fuel
  • Increased visibility and control of our day-to-day operations
  • The ability to react quickly to day-to-day opportunities (market moves, supply constraints)
  • New insights into our data and analytics to help drive better long term decisions
  • Evaluate the opportunity cost of alternative decisions to support future growth and strategies
  • Enhanced communication between supply and logistics groups and less manual processes.
  • Digital resilience and built-in room for the dynamic growth of our business.

TOM (GRAVITATE): Thanks, Erica!

To learn more about Gravitate, please reach out to tom@gravitate.energy