National wholesaler JJ Food Service has launched a smart app, available for android phones, iPhones and tablets, to speed up service for its retailer, restaurant and hotel customers.

The app employs machine learning technology to make suggestions based on previous shopping habits, resulting in a quicker, more efficient ordering.

Chief operating officer Mushtaque Ahmed said: “We used three years’ worth of transactional data to train the new machine learning model. Now, you can literally place your order in seconds.

“The result has been positive - we’ve already seen a significant increase in basket spend”, he added.

A different mobile app has also been created for drivers, replacing the formerly-used bulky hand-held devices while Bluetooth temperature sensors have been added to the multi-temperature vehicles enabling the business to track real-time data via drivers’ phones.

“We are reshaping the way food distribution works, giving our customers more time to better serve their customers,” Ahmed added.

Online orders now account for 63% of the group’s sales.