ShopRite Adds Another Microfulfillment Center

A high-volume ShopRite store in Flemington, N.J., now has a robotic next-door neighbor, augmenting its ShopRite From Home online shopping capability.

A microfulfillment center from Takeoff Technologies is the first such facility to open for owner ShopRite of Hunterdon County, a family-owned member of Wakefern Food Corp. cooperative. Takeoff centers have previously opened at ShopRite stores in Egg Harbor and Clifton, N.J.

ShopRite said the new facility would increase capacity for ShopRite From Home orders and enhance the online shopping experience for customers. The center uses robotics to assemble a portion of each order before the order is completed in the store. The technology eases pressure on store teams by increasing online shopping capacity and allowing store associates to focus on personally shopping fresh foods such as meat and produce for online orders, the company said.

“Interest in online shopping and our ShopRite From Home service has grown extraordinarily over the past several months,” said Joe Colalillo, president of ShopRite of Hunterdon County and chairman and CEO of Wakefern. “This microfulfillment center represents an important investment in our stores and the ShopRite From Home service. It allows us to continue to provide our customers with the outstanding quality and service they expect from ShopRite, whether shopping us in-store or online.”

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The new fulfillment center, located next to the store at 272 Highway 202 in Flemington, will employ 50 people when fully operational and support ShopRite From Home operations at the ShopRite of Flemington as well as the ShopRite of Clinton, N.J., with the eventual onboarding of three more ShopRite of Hunterdon County stores in Phillipsburg, N.J., and Yardley and Bethlehem, Pa.