Apr 12, 2022

By signing up, you agree to the terms By integrating Via’s software into Shufersal’s distribution systems, the supermarket chain will be able to “dynamically plan, optimize, track, and monitor deliveries in real-time across hundreds of trucks transporting goods from its logistics centers to its branches, all over the country,” it said. Daniel Ramot (left) and Oren Shoval, the co-founders of ridesharing firm Via Transportation Inc. (Courtesy) Shufersal is one of Israel’s largest food and retail companies, with a food retail market share of 20% and a market cap of about NIS 6.9 billion ($2.14 billion). The company also owns the Be Pharm chains with about 90 stores nationally and runs a private label operation for food and goods as well as an online shopping platform with about 20% of the market share, according to company data from May 2021. Yiftach Bloch, director of the Supply Chain Division at the Shufersal Group, said the agreement with Via “to introduce an intelligent logistics platform for the transportation of goods will significantly improve and streamline our distribution system, reducing miles traveled and air pollution.” Advertisement The new system will “reduce operating costs by reducing miles driven and shorten planning processes, while improving communication between the control center, drivers, and Shufersal’s branches,” the company said. People shop for food at Shufersal, on September 21, 2020. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90) “We are proud to partner with Shufersal to upgrade the grocery chain’s distribution network with Via’s intelligent software that was built on years of experience moving people and goods,” said Israel Duanis, SVP of Logistics and Delivery Platforms at Via. “Our partnership with Shufersal is an important part of a global market shift in the world of logistics operation, making the entire distribution process more streamlined and efficient.” Via, with offices in Tel Aviv and New York, has raised over $900 million to date with investors including BlackRock, ION Crossover Partners, Koch Disruptive Technologies, Shell Ventures, and Israeli VC firms Pitango Venture Capital and 83North, according to the database of Start-Up Nation Central. Last May, Via acquired US firm Remix , a developer of collaborative mapping software for transportation planning, for $100 million. In 2020, the company acquired Fleetonomy, a developer of AI-based optimization solutions for fleets of autonomous vehicles. We're telling a critical story Israel is now a far more prominent player on the world stage than its size suggests. As The Times of Israel's Diplomatic Correspondent, I'm well aware that Israel's security, strategy and national interests are always scrutinized and have serious implications. It takes balance, determination, and knowledge to accurately convey Israel's story, and I come to work every day aiming to do so fully. Financial support from readers like you allows me to travel to witness both war (I just returned from reporting in Ukraine) and the signing of historic agreements. And it enables The Times of Israel to remain the place readers across the globe turn to for accurate news about Israel's relationship with the world. If it's important to you that independent, fact-based coverage of Israel's role in the world exists and thrives, I urge you to support our work. Will you join The Times of Israel Community today? Thank you,