03/22/2023

Kroger Opens Fulfillment Center in Denver Metro Area

Aurora location marks grocer's 8th facility providing delivery services to consumers

Digital Editor

Kroger's customer fulfillment center in Aurora, Co., joins seven other similar facilities across the United States.

The Kroger Co. has opened a customer fulfillment center in Aurora, Colo., to seamlessly deliver groceries and home essentials for customers across the region.

"Kroger Delivery, proudly serving King Soopers and City Market, will connect more Coloradans to a convenient shopping experience," said Rebekah Manis, senior director, Kroger Delivery fulfillment centers. "Delivery customers can save with personalized digital coupons and fuel points on the products their families need, want and love. Kroger Delivery means more customers can enjoy high-quality, affordable groceries ordered through an easy-to-use online experience."

The approximately 300,000-square-foot facility, located at 6125 North Jackson Gap Way in Aurora, will provide delivery to customers up to 90 minutes away. Kroger Delivery uses temperature-controlled vans and efficiently optimized delivery routes to ensure that the freshest products are delivered to customers’ homes.

"Aurora wholeheartedly welcomes Kroger to the burgeoning Porteos development, an Xcel Energy Certified Site," said Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman. "Conveniently situated near Denver International Airport, Interstate 70 and E-470, Kroger’s facility will serve as a critical food distribution hub and may attract more fresh food options such as urban farms and greenhouses that work with Kroger."

The Aurora customer fulfillment center employs more than 200 associates, with plans to expand to more than 400 total associates in the future.

All Kroger Delivery customer fulfillment centers are powered by Ocado Group. The companies revealed a collaboration in 2018 to establish a delivery network that combines artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and automation.

"We're proud to bring Ocado’s technology to Aurora, and to help launch a service that will power world-class customer experiences for Kroger Delivery shoppers in the Denver Metro Area," said Mark Bentley, president, Americas for U.K.-based Ocado Solutions.

"We are now live with eight CFCs around the U.S. supporting Kroger Delivery to reach customers across 14 states,” continued Bentley. “As we continue to expand this network nationwide, we're introducing a step change in online grocery experience for Kroger shoppers, powered by some of the most sophisticated technology applied to any sector of the global economy."

Kroger currently operates customer fulfillment centers in Monroe, Ohio; Groveland, Fla.; Forest Park, Ga. (Atlanta); Pleasant Prairie, Wis.; Romulus, Mich. (Detroit); Frederick, Md.; and Dallas, with additional customer fulfillment centers slated for Phoenix; Cleveland; and Charlotte, N.C., as well as California, South Florida and the Northeast.

Meanwhile, Kroger’s Dallas customer fulfillment center recently collaborated with Gatik to transport customer orders using the logistics provider’s medium-duty autonomous box trucks. Each truck features a cold-chain-capable 20-foot box designed to transport ambient, refrigerated and frozen goods quickly, safely and efficiently. The partnership will involve consistent, repeated delivery runs several times a day, seven days a week across Kroger’s Dallas distribution network. The operations will launch in Q2 of this year.

Serving 11 million customers daily through a digital shopping experience and retail food stores under a variety of banner names, Cincinnati-based Kroger is No. 4 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.