Ocado Retail, the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, is opening its fourth Zoom by Ocado site today, the company’s rapid grocery delivery service.
The facility in Leeds is its first outside of London, delivering a huge range of groceries with the service powered by Ocado Group’s cutting-edge technology.
The new delivery service in Leeds is made possible by a brand new, purpose built, automated warehouse in Hunslet. Inside the facility, 70 robots operate on a grid, using an ‘air traffic control style’ operating system.
They communicate using 4G technology and travel at speeds of up to four metres per second. The robots pick and pack the products, whilst humans assemble the final orders, adding their seal of approval, ahead of delivery.
The arrival of Zoom by Ocado into Leeds has created 130 new jobs in the area, from warehouse staff to delivery drivers. Ocado is predicting up to 10,000 orders per week from Leeds residents, which will be delivered using a range of electric vehicles, including e-trikes and e-mopeds.
George Dean, Director of Zoom by Ocado, commented, “Ocado is famed for its world-leading technology, and we’re delighted to be bringing our rapid grocery app to the city of Leeds as our service expands outside of London.
'As well as offering mountains of choice to our customers delivered in under an hour - including Ocado’s great value Own Range, delicious M&S food, big name brands and local suppliers - we’re also dedicated to being a positive addition to the local community.
'As part of this pledge, we’ll be supporting Magic Breakfast and Rethink Food, a local food education charity, which aims to remove hunger as a barrier to learning.
'Deliveries will be made using a range of electric vehicles including e-trikes and e-mopeds, and shopping will arrive in recyclable bags. This technology will also help maintain Ocado’s market leading low levels of food waste.”
Zoom by Ocado will offer customers in Leeds over 10,000 products, a range five times the size of most other rapid delivery services. Products include food from the Marks & Spencer range, Ocado’s own brand range, meal deals and more.
Customers in Leeds will also have access to rapid delivery of some local Yorkshire favourites listed on the site, including Northern Monk, Yorkshire Crisps and Mason’s Gin. Orders can be delivered within 60 minutes or a one-hour slot of a customers’ choosing later that same day.
Committed to supporting the local communities in which it operates, Zoom by Ocado will support Leeds-based Rethink Food - a food education charity aiming to remove hunger as a barrier to children’s learning. Ocado will be making regular donations of food and drink products to Rethink so that they can be redistributed to the charity’s network.
Zoom by Ocado will also donate fresh food and drink to Magic Breakfast - a charity that provides breakfast items to schools up and down the country, including Leeds.
Zoom by Ocado’s new warehouse in Hunslet joins an existing warehouse in Batley, which acts as a base for Ocado’s main delivery service, Ocado.com.
Zoom by Ocado launches in Leeds today, 24 November.