Online grocer, Ocado, has announced a partnership with Auchan Retail to develop Auchan Poland’s online businesses using the Ocado Smart Platform (OSP).
Ocado and Auchan Poland revealed they will initially build a Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) in the Warsaw region in 2024, with additional sites to be announced.
Additionally, Auchan Poland will also utilise Ocado’s In-Store Fulfilment (ISF) software across its hypermarkets nationwide to improve efficiency for picking from its food and non-food business.
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Ocado’s enhancements announced at its Re:Imagined event in January will also feature in Auchan Poland’s partnership. This includes the latest generation 600 Series bot, the Automated Frameload and the On-Grid Robotic Pick.
In terms of software, Ocado will also provide OSP’s end-to-end software platform as well as engineering and support services to smoothly launch Auchan Poland’s e-commerce operations.
In exchange, Auchan Poland will pay Ocado specific fees upfront and during the development phase, followed by ongoing fees linked to the sales achieved and capacity within the CFC.
This would be the second Auchan business to partner with Ocado Solutions, with both parties expected to “further develop” their partnership “in other geographies”.
“We are pleased to bring a second Auchan business to our global platform and to welcome Auchan Poland to the club of innovative and forward-looking retailers who are using the Ocado Smart Platform to power their online grocery business,” Ocado Group CEO Tim Steiner.
“Today though, we recognise that this announcement comes at a very difficult time for everyone in Poland, including many cherished colleagues working in our technology development centres in Wrocław, Krakow and elsewhere.”
Auchan Retail Poland CEO Gérard Gallet added: “The development of e-commerce services is our priority direction, which we have been consistently pursuing for years, and recently especially intensively.”
“The partnership agreement with Ocado Solutions is the best proof of our commitment. I am convinced that the introduction of such innovative and forward-looking solutions will be a significant step for our company on the way to achieving the leading position in the e-grocery market in Poland.”
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