Ocado Group PLC (LSE:OCDO) has signed up an overseas supermarket group to provide its most up-to-date robot-powered online grocery delivery services.
French multinational Auchan Retail has brought in the FTSE 100 company to build a customer fulfilment centre (CFC) to serve the Warsaw region, with opening planned for 2024, followed by further CFCs to be announced.
Ocado software will also be used by Auchan Poland to help stores in the country provide online food and non-food ordering services.
Like other overseas customers of the Ocado Solutions product, Auchan has agreed to pay some upfront fees, but most during and at the end of the CFC development, as well as ongoing fees linked to sales and installed capacity.
The deal will see Ocado employ its latest generation robots as well as other high-tech developments announced earlier this year.
Ocado said it “will continue to explore” further potential deals with Auchan regarding other countries.
Tim Steiner, Ocado’s chief executive, said: “We are pleased to bring a second Auchan business to our global platform, and to welcome Auchan Poland to the club of innovative and forward-looking retailers who are using the Ocado Smart Platform to power their online grocery business."
Referring to "the human tragedy unfolding in Ukraine, and the refugee crisis along its borders", Steiner said that the company's announcement “comes at a very difficult time for everyone in Poland, including many cherished colleagues working in our technology development centres in Wrocław, Krakow and elsewhere”.