PHOENIX, Jan. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR), America's largest grocery retailer, and Ocado (LSE:
OCDO), a world leader in technology for grocery ecommerce, today
announced Phoenix, Arizona, as the
latest location for a Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC). The
location confirms a previous announcement stating Kroger and Ocado
would construct a CFC in the Southwest Region.
Kroger has partnered with Ocado to accelerate its ability to
provide customers with anything, anytime, anywhere. The CFC model –
an automated warehouse facility with digital and robotic
capabilities – will be used to serve customers across the region.
Kroger is designing a flexible distribution network, combining
disaggregated demand and the proximity of its stores and facilities
that vary in design and size.
"Kroger continues to accelerate the expansion of our national
network to redefine the customer experience," said Gabriel Arreaga, Kroger's chief supply chain
officer. "Our partnership with Ocado is and will continue to be
rooted in our ability to deliver a value-added customer-centric
solution that brings fresh food to customers through our seamless
ecosystem."
"With Kroger we are developing a game-changing
ecosystem for serving online grocery to customers across
the United States. This includes
Ocado's automated CFCs across a range of sizes, as well as software
to optimize fulfilment in stores for curbside pickup," said
Luke Jensen, CEO of Ocado Solutions.
"Powered by Ocado's state-of-the-art, proprietary technologies,
this site will be crucial in bringing unrivalled online grocery
experiences to homes across Arizona and wider geographies."
"This exciting new collaboration will create hundreds of new
jobs in Arizona," said Governor
Doug Ducey. "Arizona is proud to be one of the first sites
in the country to launch this innovative technology. We thank
Kroger and Ocado for their investment in our state."
"Phoenix is a global center of
innovation with the experienced workforce and tech ecosystem that
makes it a perfect location for Kroger's Customer Fulfillment
Center," said Phoenix Mayor
Kate Gallego. "We are excited to see
the potential of an estimated 700 jobs within its first five years
of operation. These jobs include but not limited to transportation,
warehousing, robotics and technology, which are four of
Phoenix's workforce strengths. The
location also takes advantage of our city's burgeoning, advanced
transportation network. Kroger has long been a major part of the
Phoenix economy, and this new
expansion is a highly welcomed addition."
This new 200,000-square-foot CFC will accelerate Kroger's
ability to expand its products to a larger footprint.
The CFC is expected to become operational 24 months after the
site breaks ground and will support customers across Arizona.
About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co.
(NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our
Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family
of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11
million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience
under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating
#ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us,
visit our newsroom and investor relations site.
About Ocado Solutions
Ocado Solutions is responsible
for Ocado's corporate partnerships, providing the Ocado Smart
Platform (OSP) as a service to retailers around the world. OSP
comprises access to Ocado's physical infrastructure solutions,
running highly efficient warehouse operations for the single pick
of products, together with the entire end-to-end proprietary
software applications required to operate a world class online
grocery business. It is underpinned by Ocado's proven expertise and
experience as a dedicated online grocer in the UK.
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SOURCE The Kroger Co.