Albertsons to test robotic pick system for online orders
A supermarket giant is going to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify and automate online orders picked at store-level
During a presentation at Groceryshop 2018 in Las Vegas, Narayan Iyengar, senior VP digital and e-commerce for Albertsons Cos., announced the chain is partnering with Takeoff Technologies to test the value of a “micro-fulfillment center” concept supported by Takeoff’s AI capabilities. The “hyper-local” automated center, which will be piloted in an existing store early in 2019, is designed to leverage Albertsons’ existing supply chain and store footprint. The system also has the agility to pick various types of products.
Here’s how the concept works: As a customer enters their order using Albertsons’ existing e-commerce interface, the order will be delivered to the new automated system. Takeoff’s solution will then take over the fulfillment process. Its artificial intelligence-enabled robots and system of totes and conveyors can collect items for online grocery orders in minutes, at a fraction of the speed and cost of manual-picking processes., with the items delivered to an Albertsons employee, who prepares the order for the customer.
Albertsons said it expects the concept to greatly reduce the amount of time necessary for individual customer orders to be processed. The pilot also makes Albertsons the first national grocer to implement an automated e-commerce fulfillment center, according to the company.
“Investing in e-commerce directly benefits our customers, and anything that we can do to simplify their grocery shopping experience to save valuable time is a win,” said Iyengar. “While our partnership with Takeoff Technologies will streamline e-commerce fulfillment and improve our efficiencies, we’re excited that Takeoff’s AI solution will make it even easier for customers to get their groceries how and when they want.”
This is Albertsons’ latest move to bolster its e-commerce offering. Earlier this year, the supermarket giant launched Albertsons Performance Media, a digital media capability designed to improve the digital advertising performance of its CPG brand partners.
In addition, the company opened its digital marketplace — a service that enables customers to purchase items online directly from manufacturers — to outside vendors. Albertsons also recently joined forces with driver service Instacart, a move to offer same-day delivery of online orders to customers in as little as an hour. The grocer planned to make the service available in more than 1,800 of Albertsons’ banners across the country by mid-2018.
The company was also the first national grocery retailer to acquire a prepared-meals company. The supermarket chain acquired online meal company Plated last fall.
During a presentation at Groceryshop 2018 in Las Vegas, Narayan Iyengar, senior VP digital and e-commerce for Albertsons Cos., announced the chain is partnering with Takeoff Technologies to test the value of a “micro-fulfillment center” concept supported by Takeoff’s AI capabilities. The “hyper-local” automated center, which will be piloted in an existing store early in 2019, is designed to leverage Albertsons’ existing supply chain and store footprint. The system also has the agility to pick various types of products.
Here’s how the concept works: As a customer enters their order using Albertsons’ existing e-commerce interface, the order will be delivered to the new automated system. Takeoff’s solution will then take over the fulfillment process. Its artificial intelligence-enabled robots and system of totes and conveyors can collect items for online grocery orders in minutes, at a fraction of the speed and cost of manual-picking processes., with the items delivered to an Albertsons employee, who prepares the order for the customer.
Albertsons said it expects the concept to greatly reduce the amount of time necessary for individual customer orders to be processed. The pilot also makes Albertsons the first national grocer to implement an automated e-commerce fulfillment center, according to the company.
“Investing in e-commerce directly benefits our customers, and anything that we can do to simplify their grocery shopping experience to save valuable time is a win,” said Iyengar. “While our partnership with Takeoff Technologies will streamline e-commerce fulfillment and improve our efficiencies, we’re excited that Takeoff’s AI solution will make it even easier for customers to get their groceries how and when they want.”
This is Albertsons’ latest move to bolster its e-commerce offering. Earlier this year, the supermarket giant launched Albertsons Performance Media, a digital media capability designed to improve the digital advertising performance of its CPG brand partners.
In addition, the company opened its digital marketplace — a service that enables customers to purchase items online directly from manufacturers — to outside vendors. Albertsons also recently joined forces with driver service Instacart, a move to offer same-day delivery of online orders to customers in as little as an hour. The grocer planned to make the service available in more than 1,800 of Albertsons’ banners across the country by mid-2018.
The company was also the first national grocery retailer to acquire a prepared-meals company. The supermarket chain acquired online meal company Plated last fall.