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Kroger readies grocery delivery for South Florida

Hiring begins for upcoming Ocado e-commerce facilities in region

Russell Redman

April 20, 2022

3 Min Read
Kroger_Ocado_customer_fulfillment_center-exterior.jpg
So far, Kroger has announced 17 Ocado-automated customer fulfillment centers to fill online grocery orders and support Kroger Delivery service. Three are now live in Ohio, Florida and Georgia.Kroger

The Kroger Co. is building up its Florida e-commerce operations to expand online grocery service into the South Florida market.

Cincinnati-based Kroger said Wednesday that it aims to hire more than 200 associates to help support the launch of Kroger Delivery in South Florida this summer. The supermarket giant — which has no physical stores in Florida — currently provides online grocery delivery to the greater Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville areas through a 375,000-square-foot, Ocado-automated customer fulfillment center (CFC) in Groveland, Fla., that went live in June and is supported by “spoke” facilities in Tampa and Jacksonville that extend its service reach.

“We are thrilled about the opportunity to provide fresh food and convenient services to customers throughout South Florida,” Andrea Colby, e-commerce corporate affairs and communications manager at Kroger, said in a statement. “The service combines the efficiency of technology with the experience of our associates to deliver fresh, affordable groceries directly to customers' homes.”

In October, Kroger said it plans to build two small CFCs in South Florida that will join its live e-grocery operations in Central Florida. The new sites will a “Zoom” micro-fulfillment center that will enable Kroger Delivery service in as soon as 30 minutes from a selection of 10,000 fresh food items and essentials, plus a larger facility offering same-day and next-day service from an assortment of 35,000 items, according to Kroger, which didn’t specify the new facilities’ locations or opening timetables.

Related:Kroger plans another three Ocado e-commerce ‘spokes’

For the online delivery push into South Florida, Kroger said it’s recruiting drivers and associates in areas such as logistics and human resources.

“We have an ongoing goal to provide customers the highest level of service possible and want to hire individuals who share in our passion for people and fresh food,” commented Peggy McCaslin, human resources manager for Kroger Delivery.

Kroger-Ocado_spoke_facility-Indianapolis-trailer.jpg

Smaller Ocado facilities and spoke locations extend the area served by each customer fulfillment center beyond its 90-mile range.

Overall, Kroger has announced 17 CFCs, with three now operational. Besides the Groveland facility outside Orlando, the retailer opened a 375,000-square-foot CFC in Monroe, Ohioits first Ocado facility — in April 2021 and another 375,000-square-foot CFC in Forest Park, Ga., this past February. In early March, Kroger said it aims to construct a 270,000-square-foot, “Cleveland region” CFC that will serve areas in northeastern Ohio and Pennsylvania, with the latter representing the grocer’s 37th state.

Other Ocado CFCs reported by Kroger run from 135,000 to 375,000 square feet and include locations in Frederick, Md.; Dallas; Phoenix; Pleasant Prairie, Wis.; and Romulus, Mich., as well as unspecified sites in North Carolina, the Pacific Northwest, the West and the Northeast, the latter representing another location where Kroger lacks stores. The retailer also has announced plans for two CFCs in Southern California and two more in Florida.

Related:Kroger reaches into Pennsylvania with new Ocado e-commerce center

So far, Kroger has announced eight Ocado spoke sites. Three spoke facilities are now live — in Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., and in Indianapolis — and another five are planned for Louisville, Ky.; Oklahoma City; and Austin and San Antonio, Texas, and Birmingham, Ala.

Kroger said early last month that it expects to open 17 new Ocado-driven facilities, including CFC hubs and spokes, within the next 24 months. Each Ocado CFC covers a delivery radius of up to 90 miles, and smaller facilities and spoke locations extend the area served by each CFC.

When unveiling their partnership in May 2018, Kroger and Ocado said they aimed to open 20 CFCs in the United States over the next three years, with Kroger executives citing the potential for facilities in markets where the company doesn’t have stores.

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About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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