Wakefern Food Corp. is piloting the Kardex Remstar Shuttle XP Vertical Lift Module storage solution at the ShopRite in Kingston, New York, to enhance the store’s online shopping service. Wakefern – the logistics, merchandising and distribution arm for ShopRite stores – is the second grocery retailer nationwide to utilize this space-saving technology.
The Kardex Remstar Shuttle XP is a compact automated storage and retrieval system designed to maximize space and offer high-capacity storage.
“The Shuttle XP is a great solution for managing online orders in a small area,” said Mark Dunaway, president of North America operations for Kardex Remstar. “Our collaboration with ShopRite and Wakefern is a good example of how leveraging automation and technology can provide an enhanced customer experience.”
Grocery orders are stored in totes on the trays located within the unit, and the Shuttle XP automatically delivers those totes based on an order barcode scan when the customer arrives for pickup. The machine can also deliver orders when a customer checks in for curbside pick-up.
The Shuttle XP increases storage capability by five times while reducing order errors and customer wait times. The system also increases slot capacity for stores with limited online shopping space. The Kingston store is piloting the innovative storage solution in its ShopRite from Home department.
“We are excited to use the Kardex Remstar Shuttle XP as another tool to enhance online shopping service,” said Steve Henig, Wakefern’s chief customer officer. “Our ShopRite from Home online shopping service is one of the fastest growing parts of our business, and we are always looking for ways to streamline the online shopping process for our customers.”
ShopRite is the registered trademark of Wakefern Food Corp., a retailer-owned cooperative based in Keasbey, New Jersey, and the largest supermarket cooperative in the U.S.
From a small, local cooperative that began with eight grocery store owners, Wakefern Food Corp. has grown into the largest retailer-owned cooperative in the U.S. Founded in 1946, the cooperative comprises nearly 50 member families who today independently own and operate 362 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market.
