Propelled by the Monroe customer fulfillment center and upcoming Ocado CFS, The Kroger Co. aims to double its digital business by 2023.
The Kroger Co.
The 375,000-square-foot Monroe facility marks the first of 20 planned CFCs with U.K.-based Ocado Group.
The Kroger Co.
Inside the CFC, more than 1,000 bots transport totes with products across giant 3D grids, known as The Hive.
The Kroger Co.
The Monroe CFC will employ nearly 400 associates in roles such as operations, customer service and engagement, engineering, inventory and quality management, and transportation.
The Kroger Co.
The bots dashing across The Hive are managed by proprietary air-traffic control systems in the unlicensed spectrum.
The Kroger Co.
In traversing the grids, the Ocado bots pick products for sorting as well as ferry ready customer orders.
The Kroger Co.
Products and orders collected by the bots are brought to pick stations, where items are sorted for delivery.
The Kroger Co.
Pick-and-sort algorithms ensure that products are packed smartly, with fragile items on top and bags evenly weighted.
The Kroger Co.
Packed orders are loaded into Kroger Delivery vans, and machine-learning algorithms assess road conditions and fuel efficiency to optimize delivery routes.
The Kroger Co.
Each of the temperature-controlled Kroger Delivery vans can transport up to 20 orders at a time.
The Kroger Co.
Kroger said customers in markets served by a CFC will have their orders delivered by a “knowledgeable” Kroger Delivery associate.
The Kroger Co.
Kroger Delivery associates are trained to provide a high level of service, ensuring order freshness and customer satisfaction and managing order changes, Kroger said.