SpartanNash is opening its first micro-fulfillment center, in Caledonia, Mich., near the company's Grand Rapids headquarters, reports Progressive Grocer. The 55,000-square-foot facility can store up to 16,000 products and will be used to fulfill orders for several of the retailer’s banners throughout west Michigan.
The new micro-fulfillment center, opening July 26, will be able to support more than 1,000 daily orders from the retailer’s Fast Lane online grocery shopping solution. Orders will be picked and packed at the center and delivered either to the shopper’s home or to a store for curbside pickup.
In addition to speeding orders for customers, the new facility will free up space in stores, leading to greater all-around efficiencies.
“We look forward to delivering an even higher level of quality and convenience to our store guests than they already enjoy with Fast Lane,” said Tom Swanson, SpartanNash EVP and general manager, corporate retail. “The technology and design of the micro-fulfillment center will allow us to be three to four times more efficient than fulfilling orders in-store. The new process increases our already great service effectiveness and gives our Fast Lane customers even more variety and assortment – all benefits we’re excited to introduce as a result of the micro-fulfillment center.”
SpartanNash’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent and chain retailers, its corporate-owned retail stores, and U.S. military commissaries and exchanges, as well as fresh produce distribution and fresh food processing. No. 39 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, the company serves customer locations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Honduras, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Djibouti. SpartanNash also operates more than 150 supermarkets, mainly under the banners of Family Fare, Martin’s Super Markets, D&W Fresh Market, VG’s Grocery, and Dan’s Supermarket.