Maple Group Becomes First in Ireland to Slash Food Waste via AI

Maple Group has officially become the first retailer in the Republic of Ireland to deploy AI-powered technology to tackle food waste across its entire store network. Following a highly successful pilot program launched in January 2025, the group has committed to a long-term partnership with technology provider Gander through the end of 2026.

The rollout covers all seven Maple Group locations, including its Circle K forecourts in:

• Derrybeg
• Carrigart
• Castlefinn
• Falcarragh
• Ballyliffin
• Burtonport (Donegal Oil)
• Moville (Applegreen)

Real-Time Integration and Results By integrating Gander’s platform with their existing Station Master EPOS, back-office, and handheld systems, Maple Group has made reduced-price products instantly visible to shoppers in real time. This digital visibility has transformed how the stores manage "reduced-to-clear" inventory.

Key Performance Metrics: Sell-through Rate: Increased from 30% in March to 57% by October.

Waste Reduction: Saved nearly 60% of reduced-price food from going to waste.

Value Recovery: Recovered an additional €13,000 in less than ten months.

Operational Efficiency: Reduced overall food waste across all stores by more than 27%.

A Commitment to Innovation "This pilot has been transformative for our business," said Arthur McMahon, Managing Director of Maple Group. "The integration of AI technology has allowed us to optimise stock visibility and drive measurable improvements in efficiency, all without impacting our daily store operations. These results confirm that sustainability and commercial performance can go hand in hand."

Adam Emerson of Gander Ireland praised the collaboration, noting that the Maple Group team embraced the technology from day one. The partnership demonstrates a scalable model for how AI can address environmental challenges while simultaneously driving customer engagement and store profitability.

Brian Murphy, General Manager of Maple Group, added: "Being the first retail group in Ireland to implement this technology is a proud moment for Maple Group and a demonstration of our commitment to innovation and sustainability."