Ocado Group and Spanish supermarket chain Bon Preu have expanded their partnership as they announced plans to build a customer fulfilment centre (CFC) in Parets del Vallies, Catalonia.

The new automated facility will boost Bon Preu's online sales operations, offering a wider range of products and greater order accuracy, the companies said.

The new CFC will integrate Ocado's robotic automation and re:imagined technologies to boost operational efficiency and reduce costs, enabling the retailer to process its significant online volumes while improving the overall customer experience.

Ocado Re:Imagined is a suite of innovations designed to make online grocery order fulfilment faster and more flexible for retailers.

Some of its features include a robotic system to automate the loading of customer orders into delivery frames, and a virtual distribution centre that allows smaller fulfilment centres to stock a retailer's entire product range while ensuring short delivery times.

The two retailers first signed a partnership agreement in 2017, which led Bon Preu to adopt Ocado's ISF (In-Store Fulfilment) technology for the first time in its operations in 2018 in an effort to optimise its online shopping service.

Since launching its online service in 2018, Bon Preu has seen significant growth, becoming the most popular online grocery service in Spain in 2024 according to Spanish consumer organisation OCU.

Gregor Ulitzka, Europe president for Ocado Solutions, emphasised the long-term nature of the firms’ relationship: “. We look forward to continuing to work together to deliver unbeatable experiences online to customers in the Catalonia region."

Commenting on future developments, Anna Font i Tanyà, commercial director, Bon Preu Group, added: “We will continue improving the range, punctuality and quality of the orders in our operations, and we will do so in close partnership with Ocado.”

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