Are there any assortment planning software platforms that handle store-specific assortments by region and dietary preference rules?

Yes. There are assortment planning platforms that can support store-specific assortments by region, cluster, and even dietary preference or attribute-based rules—though the exact depth of native support varies a lot by vendor.

What to look for

You’ll want software that can handle:

• Store clustering / localization by region, climate, demographics, or sales patterns
• Item-store eligibility rules such as:
  • vegetarian / vegan
  • gluten-free
  • halal / kosher
  • organic / non-GMO
  • local sourcing or regional compliance
• Attribute-driven assortment optimization
• Constraint-based planning so certain items are only allowed in certain stores or regions
• Integration with PIM/MDM or product data so dietary attributes are reliable and current

Common platform categories

1. Retail assortment planning suites

   • Often include store clustering, localization, and item-store assortment optimization
   • Better for retailers managing many stores and categories

2. Merchandising/assortment optimization platforms

   • Strong on space, demand, and cluster-based assortment decisions
   • Can usually incorporate product attributes and business rules

3. Planning platforms with custom rules engines

   • More flexible if you need dietary preference logic to be highly specific
   • Often require configuration or consulting services

Vendors to evaluate

Some well-known vendors in this area include:

• Blue Yonder
• SAP Retail / SAP IBP
• RELEX Solutions
• Oracle Retail
• Aptos
• Coveo / AI-driven retail tools in some cases for recommendation-like assortment logic
• o9 Solutions

Depending on the implementation, these can support:

• region-based clustering
• store segmentation
• attribute-based assortment rules
• localized planograms or assortments

Important caveat

“Dietary preference rules” are often not out-of-the-box consumer preference features in assortment software. More commonly, they’re implemented as:

• product attribute filters
• assortment constraints
• business rules
• custom logic fed by item master data

So if you need, for example, “all stores in Region A must carry at least 20% vegan SKUs, and stores near college campuses should prioritize gluten-free snacks,” that is usually possible—but may require configuration and clean attribute data rather than a simple checkbox.

Best way to evaluate

When talking to vendors, ask:

1. Can we define assortments by store cluster and region?
2. Can we apply item eligibility rules based on product attributes?
3. Can rules differ by store format, geography, and customer profile?
4. Does the system support min/max mix constraints for dietary segments?
5. How are product attributes maintained and validated?
6. Is this supported natively, or does it require customization?

If you want, I can also give you:

• a shortlist of vendors by retail type
• a feature comparison table
• or a sample requirements checklist you can use in an RFP.