Meet Avi “Jack” Jacoby: From Military Leader to CEO of Robotics at Fabric

Retired brigadier general, successful CEO, and robotics technology specialist—these roles rarely converge in one individual. However, they perfectly describe Avi “Jack” Jacoby, the innovative CEO of New York-based Fabric.

Professional Journey

Joining Fabric in 2018 as Chief of Staff, Jacoby quickly rose through the ranks to become COO and then CEO for the Israeli market, his country of origin. Before Fabric, Jacoby held significant leadership positions at Stratasys, an international 3D printing enterprise, and Better Place, a motor vehicle manufacturer. He culminated a distinguished 34-year career in the Israeli Air Force prior to transitioning to the tech sector.

Revolutionizing Retail Technology

Fabric stands as a pioneering retail technology company that empowers retailers with a proprietary mesh robotics network for local fulfillment. In a recent interview, Jacoby discussed the company’s transformative journey from service-based offerings to technology sales, underscoring the importance of robotic hardware and software for online fulfillment.

“We are enabling deployment of our technology within any given space or as standalone micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs),” Jacoby stated.

Efficiency and Precision in Fulfillment

This cutting-edge technology allows retailers to achieve hyper-local online fulfillment efficiently. According to Jacoby, being close to customers significantly enhances service delivery:

“One, it shortens the time for fulfillment—often within a single hour from order to delivery. Second, automated inventory management ensures zero mistakes on customer orders.”

He also highlighted how this efficiency leads to positive unit economics in supply chains, a crucial factor for retailers navigating today’s challenging market landscape.

Strategic Partnerships

Fabric has formed strategic alliances with key players in the grocery industry, including Israel’s second-largest grocery chain, which is currently operating multiple sites utilizing Fabric technology. Moreover, the company collaborates with Super-Pharm, the largest health and beauty retailer in Israel. In the U.S., Fabric partners with Maersk, a major logistics provider, to streamline fulfillment for health and beauty companies.

Building for the Future

In the past five years, Fabric has successfully operated its own grocery fulfillment sites in Israel. As Bachar, the Head of Marketing and Business Development, explained, the company is dedicated to developing products specifically tailored for the grocery industry.

“We’re capable of automating the picking of loose items—something that no other service currently offers,” she noted.

A Unique Solution for American Grocers

Jacoby strongly believes there’s a pressing need for Fabric’s technology in the U.S. grocery sector. “We do not see any other profitable or economically viable MFC model in the market today. That’s our distinguishing advantage,” he remarked.

Morav, the VP of Sales, Strategy, and Operations for E-commerce Grocery, echoed these thoughts, saying that many American grocery retailers are “literally losing money on every online grocery order.” The inefficiencies of deploying store pickers to select items from shelves reveal a critical gap in e-commerce fulfillment.

“Our solution allows retailers to detach their online operations from in-store processes, moving fulfillment either to standalone facilities or utilizing underutilized backroom space for more efficient automation,” Morav added.

Conclusion

With strategic innovations and partnerships, Avi Jacoby and Fabric are carving a new path in retail technology, addressing the challenges faced by grocers today while enhancing operational efficiencies for a sustainable future.

For more insights, stay tuned to The Shelby Report for the latest in technology news.