Coles has officially opened its first Customer Fulfilment Centre (CFC) in Victoria, bringing together world-class technology and automation to enhance the shopping experience for Coles Online customers in greater Melbourne.
Located just over 20 kilometres west of Melbourne’s CBD, the Truganina CFC was opened on 20 September by the Victorian Acting Premier Tim Pallas MP, Coles Group Chairman James Graham and Coles Group CEO Leah Weckert. It’s the first of two CFCs to launch this year as part of a $400 million partnership with a global leader in online grocery transformation, Ocado.
Once fully operational, the modern facility will deliver an enhanced shopping experience for online customers – with better availability, fewer substitutions, an increased range of products and improvements in the shelf-life of staples like mince and milk.
“The transition from a local, store-based fulfilment model to a central, world-class facility will enable us to better serve the greater Melbourne region, home to more than five million people,” says Leah Weckert, Chief Executive Officer, Coles.
The Victorian CFC’s delivery catchment will span the growing Melbourne region from Ballan in the west across to Bunyip in the east, and from Beveridge in the north down to the Mornington Peninsula.
The Truganina site has a footprint of more than 87,000 square metres and can hold three million units of stock while having the ability to process more than 10,000 customer orders per day when running at full capacity.
The site features a centralised hub, known as ‘The Hive’, where a fleet of more than 700 bots will fulfill a customer order containing 50 items in just five minutes, while an artificial intelligence ‘air traffic’ control system will oversee the bots as they move around giant 3D grids, transporting containers of grocery items to be packed and delivered by Coles team members.
The CFC will employ more than 1,000 team members, including drivers and fulfillment roles that will use high-tech packing equipment, and there will be a fleet of more than 200 home delivery vans specially designed with dual compartments to ensure fresher products while reducing emissions and a side door to make it easier and safer for delivery drivers to unload.
“The opening of this CFC is the result of a five-year partnership with Ocado, whose world-class experience is helping Coles to innovate and meet the changing needs of our customers,” says Coles Group Chairman James Graham.
The Truganina CFC features of the build including a two-megawatt solar installation, sensor lighting, water recycling system, and 100% recycling of cardboard.
The official opening of Truganina will be followed next month by a second CFC site in Wetherill Park, New South Wales.
The Truganina CFC is proudly named Brungilo Curran, meaning Stringybark Gum Tree. The site of the Truganina CFC — Brungilo Curran — is home to the Bunurong People. Coles recognises the importance of developing a relationship with the people of Bunurong Country where Coles has established operations. The name and associated artwork at the Truganina CFC were developed through consultation with local Bunurong community and local artist Kobi Sainty.
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