Give online grocery room to grow
Proven centralised fulfilment solutions, built specifically for grocery
As online grocery volumes grow, retailers need to serve more orders, offer the range customers expect and keep the cost to serve under control. Ocado Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFCs) create dedicated, highly automated capacity for markets where demand can support fulfilment at scale.
Built for grocery, each CFC connects inventory, picking, order assembly and dispatch in one operation. The Ocado Smart Platform (OSP) links that operation with the wider online grocery business, helping retailers improve productivity, protect service and grow capacity as demand changes.
On Grid Robotic Pick is an automated picking solution available 24/7 to alleviate the effect of labour fluctuations and unlock significant cost savings. Robotic pick uses cutting edge computer vision sensing and machine learning to pick and pack products more efficiently than traditional methods by maintaining consistency, accuracy and availability.
Our Warehouse Execution System (WES) software uses advanced algorithms and live operational data to optimise tote storage and retrieval while coordinating the efficient use of bots and pick stations for the rapid picking of customer orders.
WES constantly monitors warehouse operational health and seamlessly adapts to manage operational challenges.
Battery swap provides high capacity automated battery exchange and charging for maximum bot uptime. Bots are in service more than 99% of operating hours with sub one minute battery hot swaps typically occurring every two hours via robotic handling.
The OSP Bot is a high speed, high productivity worker that does the time-consuming job of fetching and dropping off totes with inventory, whether to human operated pick stations or our fully automated robotic pick arm. Our patented single grid cell footprint design allows bots to pass one another unobstructed, follow the most optimum routes and maintain industry leading availability.
Decant stations help operators perform the critical task of transitioning products from inbound pallets into the grid, leveraging automation for high inventory processing efficiency, security and traceability.
A modern user interface steps operators through the entire stock induction process with imagery and clear instructions for the detrash of each product. Decant stations can process over 1,000 units per hour.
The Combine + Separate Machine (CSM) replaces complex, costly and risky integration of extra equipment and processes by automating the insertion and removal of delivery totes into plastic and metal storage totes for secure, traceable transport in the grid.
It optimises the flow of these containers to and from pick stations and to outbound processes, reducing human touch points.
Automating the insertion of plastic and paper bags into totes, this technology ensures consistently high throughput and reduces labour cost and dependency. In addition it minimises downstream issues caused by incorrectly placed bags. Wide bag openings maximise pick productivity.
Improve the economics of every online order
Prepare more orders with less manual effort
Bots bring products through the Grid to picking stations, reducing the time teams spend moving around the facility. On-Grid Robotic Pick can pick suitable products automatically, reducing picking labour by up to 50% for those items. A 50 item basket can be picked in under five minutes.
Give shoppers more choice from one site
High density storage makes room for a broad grocery range, including specialist and less frequently purchased products. Ocado designs CFCs to handle ambient, chilled and frozen products together, with OSP Autofreezer extending Grid and bot technology into frozen fulfilment. Shoppers can find more of what they want in one order, while you have more ways to differentiate your offer.
Connect the CFC to your wider grocery network
A CFC is the centralised fulfilment engine within the Ocado Smart Platform. Ecommerce, supply chain and last mile capabilities can connect the products shoppers see, the stock the operation holds and the capacity available to serve each delivery promise. Ocado plans the scope and interfaces around the retailer's systems and operating model.
Centralised capacity can work alongside stores, dark stores and Store Based Automation. Each format has a different role depending on demand density, range, lead times, available property and the economics of serving the area.
Built on more than 25 years of online grocery experience
Ocado began as an online grocer, building its technology around the demands of real orders, real customers and live fulfilment operations. That experience informs how each CFC is designed, deployed and supported. Ocado works alongside retail partners to plan the right fulfilment network, bring each CFC into operation and continuously improve its performance as business needs evolve and grow.
Plan your next stage of online grocery capacity
Talk to us about your demand outlook, product range, service proposition and site requirements. We’ll help you assess the CFC capacity and configuration that can support your market now and how the operation could expand as online demand grows.