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CINCINNATI — The Kroger Co., America’s largest grocery retailer, announced the official opening of its newest Customer Fulfillment Center (CFC), in Dallas. Powered by technology from the Ocado Group, the CFC will leverage advanced robotics and creative solutions to redefine the customer experience, the retailer said in the July 28 announcement.
“Kroger’s fast-growing seamless ecosystem takes the promise of zero compromise to the next level, with Kroger Delivery bringing the freshest food and quality ingredients to your own doorstep—when you want it, how you want it,” said Bill Bennett, Kroger vice president and head of e-commerce. “Customers can use Kroger.com or the Kroger app to check the weekly circular, select personalized digital coupons, search products by dietary preference and ultimately place their delivery order, saving time and money.”
The company collaborated with the City of Dallas, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism, local and regional workforce solutions offices and school districts for talent acquisition and development.
“Kroger’s choice to establish a new Customer Fulfillment Center in Dallas is a testament to the state’s exceptional business-climate and highly skilled workforce,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. “This new center is great news for the people of North Texas, offering the local community greater access to fresh, nutritious foods, and bringing good-paying jobs and economic opportunities to hardworking Texans in the area. I look forward to working alongside the company as we continue to keep Texas the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”
“The opening of Kroger’s new Customer Fulfillment Center is a major win for our city — and it represents a tremendous investment in southern Dallas,” Mayor Eric Johnson said. “This means hundreds of jobs, it means more economic development, and it means greater access to fresh groceries for all of our residents, including those in our historically underserved and overlooked communities. Together, we are building a more vibrant and more equitable city.”
Kroger noted that shoppers also have access to Boost by Kroger, the retailer’s newly launched annual membership program. For either $59 or $99 per year, Boost provides customers with benefits like unlimited free delivery on orders of $35 or more and two Fuel Points for every $1 spent on groceries and general merchandise purchases through Delivery, Pickup and in-stores. Kroger estimates the membership can save customers more than $1,000 per year on fuel and grocery delivery.
The 350,000 square-foot customer fulfillment center has brought more than 500 new jobs to Dallas and the surrounding communities. The facility will also work in collaboration with spoke facilities located in Austin, San Antonio and Oklahoma City. Each spoke facility will serve as a last-mile cross-dock that will enable Kroger Delivery to expand its services to more customers.
This expansion represents an extension of a partnership between Kroger and Ocado, a world leader in technology for grocery e-commerce. In 2018, the companies announced a collaboration to establish a delivery network that combines artificial intelligence and automation in a bold new way, bringing first-of-its-kind technology to America.
“Kroger and Ocado Group are building something truly unique in the American grocery landscape,” said Luke Jensen, CEO of Ocado Solutions. “Our expanding fulfilment network is reaching more and more customers, bringing the benefits of our cutting-edge innovation to Kroger communities nationwide. Today’s event marks the start of a service in Dallas that will bring a whole new standard of grocery experience to homes across Texas and beyond.”
Kroger operates customer fulfillment centers in Monroe, Ohio, Groveland, Fla., Forest Park, Ga., Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and Romulus, Mich., with additional customer fulfillment centers slated for California, Maryland, Arizona, Ohio, North Carolina, Colorado, Florida and the Northeast.
