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Sobeys' New Warehouse ‘Major Leap Forward’: Analyst

An automated warehouse capable of moving three times the product of a traditional grocery warehouse while using just one-third of the labor is now fully operational and serving Sobeys stores in Ontario, the company said.

Jon Springer, Executive Editor

November 10, 2009

1 Min Read
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JON SPRINGER

STELLARTON, Nova Scotia — An automated warehouse capable of moving three times the product of a traditional grocery warehouse while using just one-third of the labor is now fully operational and serving Sobeys stores in Ontario, the company said.

The warehouse, located in Vaughn, Ontario, represents a “major leap forward in efficiency and productivity,” according to Perry Caicco, an analyst with CIBC Capital Markets, Toronto.

Sobeys, based here, intends to use the 500,000-square-foot store to serve its 340 stores in Ontario while replacing current facilities in Whitby and Milton, reports said. Those centers will be retrofitted to handle perishable goods distribution.

In a research note, Caicco said the Vaughn facility can process 1.4 million cases a week with 140 employees — representing a major opportunity to reduce supply chain costs and improve efficiency. “As the savings accrue and the accuracy improves over the next couple of years, the company should be able to reinvest in price and service and/or deliver more earnings,” he said.

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About the Author

Jon Springer

Executive Editor

Jon Springer is executive editor of Winsight Grocery Business with responsibility for leading its digital news team. Jon has more than 20 years of experience covering consumer business and retail in New York, including more than 14 years at the Retail/Financial desk at Supermarket News. His previous experience includes covering consumer markets for KPMG’s Insiders; the U.S. beverage industry for Beverage Spectrum; and he was a Senior Editor covering commercial real estate and retail for the International Council of Shopping Centers. Jon began his career as a sports reporter and features editor for the Cecil Whig, a daily newspaper in Elkton, Md. Jon is also the author of two books on baseball. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Journalism from the University of Delaware. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. with his family.

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