The Kroger Co. and Ocado, a grocery ecommerce firm, today announced plans to build a $95-million Customer Fulfillment Center in metro Detroit to serve the Great Lakes Region.
The automated warehouse facility will offer digital and robotic capabilities to accelerate Kroger’s ability to expand its products to a larger footprint. The facility will create 250 new jobs, benefitting the City of Romulus/Aerotropolis region.
The 135,000-square-foot center will be located at 15675 Wahrman Rd. in Romulus (near I-275 and Eureka Road), and is expected to become operational 18 months after the site breaks ground. It will support customers in several markets, including Michigan, northern Ohio, and Indiana.
“In Michigan, we are engineering a smaller model for the region, leveraging advanced robotics technology and creative solutions to redefine the customer experience and respond to the growing demand for grocery e-commerce services,” says Robert Clark, Kroger’s senior vice president of supply chain, manufacturing, and sourcing.
The new facility will be designed with a flexible distribution network, and replace two nearby distribution facilities.
“Kroger’s decision to invest $95 million and create 250 new jobs in Romulus further demonstrates that Wayne County is a global leader in logistics and fulfillment industries,” says Wayne County Executive Warren Evans.
“Kroger’s continued commitment to our region with the innovative new grocery delivery service provided by this high-tech facility will help improve access to fresh foods in southeast Michigan at a time when this service is more important than ever to keep residents safe and healthy.”
The Kroger Co. has nearly 500,000 workers who serve over 11 million customers daily.
