Yesterday, Kroger officially opened two spoke facilities in the Greater Nashville and Chicago Metro Areas. These locations serve as last-mile cross-dock sites which extend the reach of regional fulfillment centers.
Now that these two locations have opened, Kroger Delivery will send groceries to a larger footprint in Tennessee and Illinois.
"Kroger Delivery promises an unparalleled shopping and delivery experience, making fresh just one click away at Kroger.com or the Kroger app," said Bill Bennett, Kroger VP and head of ecommerce. "Kroger Delivery orders are brought to customers in our branded delivery trucks and delivered to their doorstep by our trained and uniformed associates—all with zero compromise."
The 40,000-square-foot Tennessee facility works with the existing Atlanta fulfillment center, increasing the network’s reach to include customers 200 miles from the hub.
"Tennessee is defined by the brands that call our state home, so we are proud to partner with the Kroger Delivery team as the company establishes and opens its operations in Davidson County. Nashville's pro-business climate and central location will be vital in helping Kroger expand its customer delivery reach across the Southeast for years to come," said Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee Economic and community development commissioner, in a statement.
The 80,000-square-foot Chicago facility located in Maywood, about 20 miles from the city, works with the Wisconsin fulfillment center in Pleasant Prairie.
"[The] Kroger facility replaces a blighted area while adding new jobs and revenues that aid in the revitalization of our community. We are happy to welcome a partner that works to address our food desert designation and look to evolving collaboration with them," said Maywood mayor, Nathaniel George Booker, in a statement.
The expansion efforts represent an extension of the company’s partnership with the Ocado Group, a grocery ecommerce company that brings artificial intelligence, robotics, and automation to the facilities.
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