AI innovation for retail
The origins of EasyPicky: a simple idea turned into a revolution
It all began one ordinary evening, when Renaud Pacull had to choose a bottle of wine to offer to friends who were inviting him to dinner. Faced with a huge aisle and a multitude of options, he found himself in a familiar situation: a great deal of difficulty in choosing THE bottle in the face of so many references. That’s when an idea crossed his mind: what if an application could guide users by simply scanning the shelf and selecting according to their criteria? Enthused by this idea, he decided to explore it further. He immersed himself in the development of algorithms, and as his research progressed, he realised the potential of this technology. After months of intensive work, he managed to identify his first bottle of wine on a shelf.
The real turning point came when a friend of hers, a mutual friend of Marine Bibal, her future partner, and a sales representative at Danone, told them about a recurring problem in his job: taking product shelf readings. It’s a very tedious and time-consuming task. His dream? An application capable, like the one Renaud has developed for the wine industry, of analysing an entire shelf and instantly providing a detailed report.
By exploring the capabilities of image recognition, an initial algorithm was developed, paving the way for a revolutionary technology. The vision of Renaud and Marine, and the ambition of EasyPicky, were born.
From an idea to a revolutionary solution
With a clear vision and unwavering determination, EasyPicky took shape around this second objective: to simplify and automate shelf-reading for the sales force. From the outset, the aim was to create a 100% offline solution enabling sales teams to take instant readings in the field, because in supermarkets, the network is still unsatisfactory, and that’s not going to change any time soon. Thanks to this innovation, EasyPicky has rapidly become a key player in the retail sector, offering manufacturers a simple and effective way of checking the presence and visibility of their products on the shelves.
Based on advanced video recognition technology that runs directly on a smartphone or tablet, EasyPicky instantly transforms field data into usable KPIs. With no need for an internet connection or heavy infrastructure, the solution can be easily integrated into companies’ internal tools, optimising management and sales strategy.
Lightning growth and a vision for the future
Since its creation in 2017 in Montpellier, EasyPicky has made remarkable progress:
- 2017-2019: R&D phase to develop a reliable solution.
- 2020 : First contracts signed and national roll-out.
- 2021: collaboration with five of the biggest FMCG brands.
- 2022: structuring of teams and international expansion.
- 2023-2025: expansion in Europe and beyond.
One of the most striking choices was that of self-financing. For more than five years, EasyPicky has chosen to remain independent in order to concentrate on what’s essential: perfecting the technology and proving its value in the marketplace. This pragmatism has enabled us to build a solid, recognised solution even before the first round of funding in 2022. By then, the company was profitable, the technology mature, and the customers convinced.
More responsible and sustainable artificial intelligence
From the outset, Marine and Renaud were sensitive to the need for a responsible economy and responsible projects, and took a bold gamble: to prove that high-performance AI could be both frugal and accessible, without relying on heavy, energy-guzzling infrastructures. Unlike centralised cloud solutions, EasyPicky operates using edge computing, directly on the mobile device, minimising its energy footprint.
Why this choice?
- Simplicity and energy efficiency: exclusive use of the native power of smartphones, with no cloud or external GPU.
- Optimised algorithms: maximise mobile device resources while guaranteeing high performance.
- Increased resilience: operation without an Internet connection, making the solution viable anywhere in the world.
With EasyPicky, we’re demonstrating that it’s possible to create the best-performing AI for retail without compromising on efficiency or energy ethics… and the EasyPicky adventure is just beginning!
