Cocottes: Heading for AI with Fit 4 AI

The catering chain Cocottes, already deeply committed to environmental and sustainability issues (having previously participated in the Fit 4 Sustainability programme), has recently embarked on an in-depth analysis of opportunities and prerequisites for leveraging artificial intelligence. "Since 2023, we have seen the explosion of generative AI. It’s a topic of much discussion, but we didn’t really know how to approach it," says Clémentine Venck, the company’s general manager.

A significant part of the answer lies within the Fit 4 AI programme, managed by Luxinnovation. This initiative provides any company legally established in Luxembourg, regardless of its size or sector, the opportunity to work with an experienced consultant. The consultant's role is to identify the primary use cases for artificial intelligence and assess the maturity of the data for each. 

This process culminates in a detailed and costed action plan outlining the next prioritised steps, enabling the company to deploy AI agents (autonomous software capable of perceiving their environment, reasoning, planning and executing complex actions without constant supervision) within its operations.

A week-long audit to map the company’s needs

"The approach appealed to us, particularly because it goes beyond purely operational aspects," explains Ms Venck. "We didn’t just involve managers; our approach was highly cross-functional and field-oriented, aiming to address the challenges faced by everyone in their daily work—whether in stores, production or support functions."

The consulting firm Inferensia carried out this audit, dedicating a full week at the start of the year to identifying the company’s needs. This involved conducting 14 interviews with employees representing all Cocottes departments and levels of hierarchy.

12 prioritised use cases, from inventory management to regulatory compliance

This introspective process led to the creation of a catalogue of 12 standardised use cases, covering diverse functions such as:

• inventory management
• regulatory compliance
• human resources
• finance
• quality

Each use case was documented with a description and an assessment of technical feasibility, following a rigorous methodology.

Based on these recommendations, Cocottes must now decide and prioritise the implementation of certain AI agents over others. "Our initial focus will be on improving the operational performance of our stores and managing legal and regulatory risks. The latter is especially critical and very time-consuming when handled manually," explains Ms Venck.

Implementing these priorities will require designing and deploying bespoke tools and agents to ensure alignment with the company’s data, processes and unique constraints. "We are also considering which service providers to collaborate with, the internal and external commitments required, and the potential support available."

Luxinnovation: supporting implementation and access to public funding

"We will continue to assist the company with implementing the recommendations, whether by identifying public funding to co-finance these developments or by guiding them through the necessary administrative procedures," explains Emmanuelle Kipper, Senior Advisor – Assessments & Roadmaps at Luxinnovation. "We will also connect the company with relevant partners, including research centres and players within Luxembourg’s artificial intelligence ecosystem who can contribute to these projects."

Luxinnovation has been involved in earlier stages, including setting the framework for collaboration with the external consultant, a process unfamiliar to Cocottes. "This support was reassuring for us, especially in a context where integrating artificial intelligence with artisanal food production might initially seem unnatural," confirms Ms Venck.

The first measurable outcomes of this action plan are expected in the coming months. Depending on their success, some recommendations in the catalogue may be adjusted or even removed. "This exercise has come at just the right time for us, given our level of maturity and the tools currently at our disposal. We have been working on digitising our operations for some time, but a year ago, we likely wouldn’t have had the data we’re now using in this project."

Interested in the Fit 4 AI programme? Contact Luxinnovation to assess your eligibility and begin the process.