Foodstuffs North Island devised a creative solution to get the supermarket's IT systems up and running.
The devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle had left many supermarkets unable to operate as business-critical systems continued to experience disruptions due to the severe weather conditions.
Severe flooding and road slips isolated several communities, and their local store's inability to operate left many without access to the essential supplies they needed.
In response to this emergency, Foodstuff’s North Island deployed Starlink kits, satellite-based internet solutions, to help resolve technical issues rendering supermarkets unable to serve customers and support their community.
Chief Digital Officer for Foodstuffs North Island, Simon Kennedy, described the commitment to opening stores across the affected regions as a sense of responsibility carried by locals personally affected by the devastation of the cyclone:
“Everyone relies on access to groceries, so our stores play an essential role in their communities across the North Island. Our owner-operators are local people and are personally affected by the devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle. All our people have a sense of responsibility and want to be open in times of need,” said Kennedy.
The Starlink kits consist of a small satellite dish that is simple and efficient to install on the roof of each supermarket.
After the satellite dish was installed, supermarkets could connect to the Starlink satellite network, which provided fast and reliable internet access. Internet access is essential for operating Eftpos units at checkouts.
“People use the internet for everything, and it’s not too different for our stores. When they lose connectivity, they’re very limited by what they can do,” stated Campbell Mander, the Head of IT Operations and Security for Foodstuffs North Island.
The internet connection provided by the Starlink satellite network required a great deal of collaboration between IT teams to configure solutions to make the network connection suitable for the scale needed for supermarkets.
“Starlinks is quick and easy to set up for a basic internet connection, but using them to support a full supermarket operation is slightly different. It’s like trying to power a whole house with just a couple of AA batteries, but we have found a way.”
Technicians were sent out into affected regions without cellphone coverage or internet access to install the Starlinks systems, which was a risk within itself. However, the success of installing Starlink satellites in several stores across the North Island has been met with a great deal of relief and gratitude, as expressed by Sam Wanklyn, Owner Operator of Four Square Wainui Road in Gisborne:
“My store lost connectivity at 4 am on Tuesday. By 10 am Wednesday, the team had flown in a Starlink kit and IT technician and had gotten us back online and operational. We’ve been able to open our doors and provide groceries to our community when they’ve needed it,” explained Wanklyn.
