UK online grocery company Ocado, which was set up 20 years ago to service the Waitrose supermarket chain of John Lewis, is developing its automated warehouse system in the US. It signed a deal last year with large supermarket group Kroger to build up to 20 Customer Fulfillment Centers (CFCs) using Ocado's automated technologies. The John Lewis Parnership no longer holds any participation in Ocado. Earlier this year, Ocado and Marks & Spencer announced a joint venture whereby M&S acquired a 50% share in Ocado's UK retail business. The automated warehouse system of Ocado attracted a great deal of attention as an innovation, and also because the warehouse in which it operated in the UK accounting for 10% of the company's business was ravaged by a fire last February which burned for three days and caused residents to be evacuated. This did not deter Kroger which is planning to open its first 33 000 m² centre in Monroe, Ohio in 2021 at a cost of $55 million.

See video of robotic system

article: Ocado prays warehouse blaze won't douse its hopes for a hi-tech future