Cincinnati-based Kroger celebrated the formal opening of its automated warehouses in Oklahoma City and San Antonio last month with associate celebrations and ribbon cutting events. The new 50,000-square-foot Ocado-automated “spoke” facility in Oklahoma City has extended Kroger’s footprint to Oklahoma for the first time. It is now the 36th state in which Kroger operates. The spoke supports a 350,000-square-foot, Ocado-driven customer fulfillment center (CFC) in Dallas that opened this past summer. Kroger has announced 17 CFCs, six of which are now open. Each spoke will serve as the last-mile, cross-docking location to reach customers up to 200 miles away from the CFC. These CFCs and spoke facilities allow Kroger to extend its reach into areas where it doesn’t operate physical stores.
Kroger opened a 67,000-square-foot spoke in northeast San Antonio that will also support the Dallas CFC to extend Kroger’s reach across Central Texas. “We are committed to delivering a fresh, convenient customer shopping experience with zero compromise on quality, selection and affordability,” Bill Bennett, vice president and head of e-commerce at Kroger, said in a statement. “From the personalized shopping experience, easy digital coupons, valuable fuel points and fresh, high-quality products, to the refrigerated trucks, trained and uniformed drivers, we look forward to Oklahoma City and San Antonio customers enjoying all the benefits Kroger online shopping has to offer.” Kroger announced plans to build 12 Ocado-automated spokes ranging from 40,000 to 80,000 square feet. In addition to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, the company has opened spokes in Birmingham, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; Maywood, Illinoia; Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville, Florida; Lockbourne, Ohio; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky. Another spoke is scheduled to open in Austin, Texas.
