Patent ID: 7620563

Claim:
A method for grouping food items by food product type in a grocery store, the method comprising: receiving a store layout including existing food products from a requestor; categorizing said existing food products by food product type, resulting in at least two categories of a first food product type and a second food product type; assigning shelf space to said existing food products by food product type, wherein said assigning comprises: placing a first combination of packaging types of said existing food products on a first aisle of said grocery store, said first combination of packaging types comprising: dried, canned, and bulk food items of said first food product type; and placing a second combination of packaging types of said existing food products on a second aisle of said grocery store, said second combination of packaging types comprising: dried, canned, and bulk food items of said second food product type, thereby enhancing grocery shopping experience by enabling customers to quickly locate said existing food products of said first and second food product types regardless of said packaging types; updating said store layout responsive to said assigning; and transmitting said store layout to said requestor in response to said updating.