House of Health Collective, a 40-year Adelaide whole foods business, moved to EM Cloud™ and now runs two storefronts, a warehouse and online on one connected system.
Specialty retail is complex. Whole foods need date checks, tight shelf space and constant replenishment, and the business has to manage two storefronts with different layouts, a dedicated warehouse and online ordering at the same time. Chester Frank, Co-Owner of House of Health Collective, explains why the business moved to EM Cloud™ and what changed once everything ran on one system.
HOUSE OF HEALTH COLLECTIVE AT A GLANCE
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40 years
In whole foods and specialty retail
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2 storefronts
Central Market and Norwood
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1 system
Warehouse, both stores and online
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Date-check
Perishables flagged before they expire
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Who House of Health Collective is
House of Health Collective has been a whole foods and specialty retailer in Adelaide for 40 years. It trades from two storefronts, Central Market and Norwood, and runs a dedicated warehouse that supplies both stores and its online ordering. Each location has its own layout and constraints, and the business needs one view of stock across all of them.
Why they moved to EM Cloud™
The previous system had serious limitations for inventory control, and it was not built for how the business actually trades.
"A previous system was causing serious limitations as far as inventory control. It was a nice experience when it worked, but it wasn't built for what we actually do."
Chester Frank, Co-Owner, House of Health Collective
Chester describes the business as one of the more complex types of inventory management in retail. Most point of sale systems are built for one store and one workflow. EM Cloud™ was designed for grocery, and its architecture separates what you sell from how you manage it, so a specialty retailer can set up the workflows it needs.
One system for the warehouse, both stores and online
Warehouse, both stores and online orders all come into the same system. That connection is what made the decision for the business.
"All these inputs, warehouse, both stores, online, come to one system. Everything's connected seamlessly. That's what made us commit."
Chester Frank, Co-Owner, House of Health Collective
On the shop floor, the business works across two very different sites. Central Market has a very tight space, and Norwood has different constraints. Chester says the ease of use is extraordinary, and the team can control what it needs to control at each location.
"GaP allows us to control what we need to control. We have a very tight space in Central Market, different constraints from our Norwood location. The ease of use is extraordinary."
Chester Frank, Co-Owner, House of Health Collective
Date-check for perishables
Tracking dairy and perishables used to be a manual job. Date-check technology flags items for discounting before they expire, which helps the business control waste on fresh lines.
"Date-check technology is something that really appeals to us. Previously, tracking dairy and perishables was manual. Having a system that flags items for discounting before they expire is huge for waste control."
Chester Frank, Co-Owner, House of Health Collective
Support and training
Chester was not worried about the technology. He found it simple to use: you press a button, adjust prices, and everyone sees it instantly. That gives the store a confident look. The GaP team was on-site for days during the rollout, walked the team through the POS and the back office, and support answers the phone without leaving callers on hold.
"John was on-site for days on end, literally getting in the way in the best way. He walked us through the POS, the technology, not just back office. When we call, you're never put on hold."
Chester Frank, Co-Owner, House of Health Collective
Built for independent grocery.
Trusted by specialty retail.
Frequently asked questions
Why did House of Health Collective switch to EM Cloud™?
Their previous system placed serious limitations on inventory control. House of Health Collective runs one of the more complex inventory operations in retail: two storefronts with different layouts, a dedicated warehouse, online ordering and whole foods that need careful stock management.
Does EM Cloud™ work for specialty retail, or only for grocery?
EM Cloud™ was designed for grocery, and its architecture separates what you sell from how you manage it. A specialty retailer with high-touch inventory can build the workflows it needs without learning a different system.
What is date-check technology and how does it reduce waste?
Date-check technology tracks expiry dates on perishable lines and flags items for discounting before they expire, rather than relying on a manual check. For a retailer carrying fresh dairy, produce and prepared items, that saves labour and protects margin.
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Oct 20, 2026, 3:37:10 PM