Welcome to the official Zaiko blog! We're excited to have you join us as we solve inventory problems for food retailers. Let us introduce you to Zaiko, explain the challenges we address, and tell the story of how we came to be.
Zaiko is an AI-powered invoice scanning platform made to eliminate manual inventory data entry for food retailers. Our mission is to reduce manual workloads, simplify inventory processes, and provide real-time insights to help businesses operate smoothly. Zaiko is designed for small to medium-sized food retailers seeking to save time on manual data entry and streamline inventory management. Whether you manage a single store or multiple locations, Zaiko integrates seamlessly with your existing systems, so there is no need to change your hardware or software!
We understand that managing inventory in the food retail industry involves manual data entry, often leading to errors. Zaiko addresses this challenge by automating data extraction from delivery invoices and receipts thus providing centralized, real-time inventory data.
Zaiko offers:
Zaiko’s journey began in a Washington University in St Louis entrepreneurship course designed to inspire and cultivate new business ideas. Franklin, one of Zaiko’s co-founders, presented the class with a bold concept: Sustain-a-Plate, an app aimed at combating food waste by creating recipes using close-to-expired foods. The idea was to help consumers buy, cook, and consume these items before they spoil. Food waste is a massive global challenge with serious environmental and economic consequences, and Franklin was determined to make an impact. It was then when Kelsey joined the team, eager to make a change!
While Sustain-a-Plate had noble intentions, it quickly became clear that the recipe app wasn’t resonating with potential users. Undeterred, we pivoted to a new idea: dynamic pricing. This concept involved discounting products based on their expiration dates—milk expiring in a week, for example, would be priced lower than milk with a longer shelf life. Our team spent the semester prospecting clients, engaging with industry experts, and testing our ideas to better understand the needs of food retailers.
Building on this momentum, the team enrolled in a continuation course the following semester, a more selective program designed to refine promising ventures. With a clearer sense of purpose, we dove deeper into customer discovery, spoke to more experts, and iterated on our concept. It was during these conversations that a bigger problem came into focus: many food retailers lacked the data infrastructure necessary to implement dynamic pricing effectively. This realization was pivotal. Retailers were struggling to manage the flood of invoices, deliveries, and inventory data they received daily.
Recognizing this challenge, the team pivoted again, this time to address the core of the issue—simplifying and streamlining inventory data management for food retailers. With this new direction, we participated in several competitions, including the Heartland Challenge, Poets & Quants Big Idea Bounce, and the Skandalaris Venture Competition. These experiences provided valuable feedback and validation, helping to shape what would ultimately become Zaiko.
After months of research, customer discovery meetings, and refining our solution, the team finally landed on the perfect idea: Zaiko. Today, Zaiko is revolutionizing direct store delivery inventory management for food retailers by providing AI-powered invoice scanning tools that extract, organize, and analyze data in real-time. From its origins in a classroom to its introduction into the market, Zaiko’s journey is a testament to the power of persistence, collaboration, and listening to the needs of customers.
This blog will be your go-to resource for updates, insights, and tips on maximizing your store using Zaiko. Stay tuned for how-to guides, industry news, and success stories from our users.
Have questions or topics you'd like us to cover? Let us know—we're here to help: info@get-zaiko.com
Thank you for joining us on this journey. We're excited to have you as part of the Zaiko community. Let us help you eliminate manual data entry tasks using our AI invoice scanning solution. Book a demo here: https://calendly.com/franklin-get-zaiko/30min !
- The Zaiko Team
Answers to popular questions you might have about Zaiko.
Zaiko automates customer text messages. Businesses use it to send reminders, updates, and promotions that people actually see; helping cut no-shows, boost sales, and keep customers coming back.
Customers can scan a QR code, sign up online, or share their number at checkout. Once added, they’ll instantly start receiving your texts, no apps or complicated setup needed.
Yes. Zaiko runs standalone, so you can start sending texts right away. For some POS and booking systems, we also offer integrations to sync customer and sales data automatically.
All customer data is encrypted, stored securely in the cloud, and never sold. Customers can opt out anytime by replying STOP, keeping you compliant with SMS regulations.
Alcohol promotions are supported where state law allows. Tobacco promotions are restricted by federal law and not supported.
