Kroger delivery expands in Kentucky
- The Kroger Co. opened a new delivery spoke in Independence, Kentucky.
- The spoke facility will work in conjunction with the grocer’s Monroe, Ohio-fulfillment center.
- The Northern Kentucky location marks the company's second Kentucky spoke location.
The Kroger Co. opened a new delivery spoke in Independence, Kentucky. The spoke facility will work in conjunction with the grocer’s Monroe, Ohio-fulfillment center. The new facility will employ nearly 100 associates and currently employs more than 70.
The Northern Kentucky location marks the company's second Kentucky spoke location. Its Louisville, Kentucky-spoke launched in May of 2022.
"We are thrilled to expand our offerings to Northern Kentucky and connect more customers to the Kroger Delivery shopping experience, which brings thousands of digital coupons, valuable fuel points and the freshest products including Our Brands, directly to customers' doors," said Rebekah Manis, senior director, Kroger Delivery Fulfillment Centers, in a press release. "Our customers are actively looking for ways to save, and Kroger Delivery offers a fresh, affordable and personalized shopping experience with zero-compromise on affordability, selection and convenience. Whether they are using the Kroger app or browsing our weekly ad at Kroger.com, customers can enjoy fresh, high-quality, affordable groceries delivered by best-in-class uniformed drivers."
Delivery expansion
All orders are picked at the Monroe facility, and placed in climate-controlled vehicles to travel to Independence. Once the orders arrive, they are checked and placed on refrigerated delivery trucks that deliver directly to customers' doors.
The expansion to the Kentucky area represents an extension of a collaboration between Kroger and Ocado Group, a leader in technology for grocery e-commerce. In 2018, the companies announced a collaboration to establish a delivery network that combines artificial intelligence (AI), advanced robotics and automation.
At each automated hub sites, bots navigate three-dimensional grids filled with fresh, shelf-stable and household products to fulfill customers' orders. The system uses advanced AI to determine the packing process, ensuring products are packed accurately and correctly (with heaviest items on the bottom) and the fewest number of bags are used to reduce waste. Once the orders are assembled, associates provide important quality checks.
Products move from a climate-controlled fulfillment center directly into customized refrigerated delivery vans to ensure each item stays at the right temperature throughout the delivery process. With each Kroger Delivery van holding up to 20 orders, drivers are then deployed to deliver orders efficiently. Drivers also accept any plastic bags or plastic film a customer may have, returning it to the facility where it will be recycled by a third-party vendor.
Vans may travel up to 90 minutes with orders from the hub and spoke facilities to make deliveries. Associates at the spoke facility will deliver orders within their service area, adding ZIP codes as demand grows.
Kroger currently operates customer fulfillment centers in Monroe, Ohio; Groveland, Florida; Forest Park, Georgia (Atlanta); Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin; Dallas; Romulus, Michigan (Detroit); Aurora, Colorado; and Frederick, Maryland. Additional customer fulfillment centers slated for California; Phoenix; Cleveland, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as South Florida and the Northeast.