Kroger to extend greater Columbus home delivery reach with Lockbourne facility
Cincinnati-based Kroger has opened a delivery facility near Rickenbacker International Airport, extending the grocer's reach for delivery services in the Columbus area.
The 61,000-square-foot delivery hub at 6658 Shook Rd. in Lockbourne extends fulfillment to customers up to 200 miles away in more than 250 ZIP codes in Columbus and beyond. The facility can employ up to 200 workers, with 70 associates at the hub currently.
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The facility will allow for stronger delivery capabilities to customers in the greater Columbus area. Kroger associates will handle delivery duties, versus previously utilized third-party vendors like Instacart. However same-day deliveries will still be handled by a third-party vendor, said a spokesperson for the company.
"We're proud to expand the Kroger fulfillment network in our home state," Gabriel Arreaga, Kroger's senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, said in a company press release. "The new service is an innovative addition to the expanding digital shopping experience available to Kroger customers. This expansion will further our commitment to create career opportunities and serve shoppers fresh food fast."
The opening of the Lockbourne fulfillment center represents an extension of Kroger's partnership with U.K.-based e-commerce company Ocado and follows the opening of a fulfillment hub in Monroe, Ohio, last year. Amazon similarly opened a fulfillment center in Lockbourne earlier this year.
Kroger's delivery network utilizes artificial intelligence, automation and advanced robotics, including more than 1,000 bots, according to the company.
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Kroger plans to open a third Ohio fulfillment center in Cleveland, in addition to centers in California, Maryland, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina.
tmoorman@dispatch.com
@TaijuanNichole
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Kroger to open delivery facility in Lockbourne
