Ocado signs online grocery deal with Australia’s Coles
Ocado has signed a deal with Coles Group in which it will supply its logistics technology to help Coles further develop its online grocery business in Australia.
Having generated sales of A$39.4 billion in its latest financial year, Coles trades from 818 supermarkets, 911 liquor stores, and 712 Coles Express petrol stations across Australia. Its existing online grocery business, Coles Online, currently generates annual sales of more than A$1 billion.
Ocado said the adoption of its Ocado Smart Platform will enable Coles Online to serve customers in Australia’s larger urban areas by fulfilling orders through robotic customer fulfilment centres.
The companies will operate two facilities in Sydney and Melbourne which are expected to go live within four years. Coles Online will also move its store-pick based operations to the Ocado Smart Platform.
Tim Steiner, chief executive of Ocado, said: “Today marks another big moment in the continuing transformation of Ocado. Our unique, proprietary and industry-leading technology is bringing new growth opportunities to retailers around the world and changing the customer experience of grocery shopping. Coles is a grocer with a global reputation for innovation and outstanding commitment to their customers, and I am delighted we will be working together in the years to come to reshape the food retail landscape in Australia.”
The news comes hot on the heels of Ocado’s signing of a partnership with Marks & Spencer in which it will help the retailer to develop an online food delivery service. It has also embarked on similar partnerships with Casino in France, Sobeys in Canada, Kroger in the US, and ICA in Sweden.
