American grocery retailer Kroger has placed an order with Ocado Group for a range of automated technologies to be rolled out across its customer fulfilment centre (CFC) network.

United Kingdom-based Ocado says Kroger will implement Ocado's latest Re:imagined technologies across multiple CFCs in its current network, as well as future CFCs. 

The technologies include proprietary Ocado innovations On-Grid Robotic Pick (OGRP) and Automated Frameload (AFL), which will bring new levels of efficiency and labour productivity to the Kroger Delivery network. 

"We are delivering a step-change in warehouse automation and new levels of efficiency to our partners as global supply chains are under significant pressure to manage higher volumes and greater complexity, as well as challenges in labour cost and availability,” says Tim Steiner, Ocado Group chief executive officer.

“Today marks another exciting milestone in our partnership with Kroger. 

“Our current CFCs are already helping to deliver a game-changing quality of service to their customers across the USA. 

“We are excited for these latest technologies to further enhance that proposition, as well as the efficiency of Kroger's operations in live and future CFCs.”

Many of Ocado's global partners are upgrading their distribution networks with Ocado's latest technologies, with AEON in Japan recently announcing it will also retrofit Ocado's OGRP technology into its existing operations. 

This technology is already rolling out in CFCs throughout the UK, where it is picking an increasingly wide range of items. 

At full capacity, OGRP can pick more than 70% of an extensive online grocery range.