After Morrisons stopped using one of Ocado’s shared Customer Fulfilment Centres (CFC) last year, and a Canadian firm cancelled plans to launch a new Ocado CFC distribution hub, Ocado has been in desperate need of positive news relating to its technology business.
Today’s announcement of plans to build a fresh Customer Fulfilment Centre in partnership with Bon Preu will be welcomed by investors, but may not fully fire up the equity bulls.
Ocado Group and Spanish retailer Bon Preu have announced plans to construct a CFC in Parets del Vallès, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership in the Catalonia region.
The new automated facility will leverage Ocado’s robotic technology to offer Bon Preu customers an enhanced service, including broader product ranges, improved freshness and higher perfect order rates. The centre is expected to deliver substantial cost efficiencies whilst providing a pathway to fully-costed online grocery profitability.
Partnership Origins
Bon Preu holds the distinction of being Ocado’s first international partner. The two companies signed their initial agreement in 2017, with Bon Preu seeking to establish a leading online grocery proposition in Catalonia by drawing upon Ocado’s proven expertise as a successful online operator in the UK market.
“Today is an exciting moment as we enter a new phase with our longest-standing international partner. Our partnership with Bon Preu is an amazing example of a retailer using the full strategic toolkit that Ocado offers,” said Gregor Ulitzka, Europe President for Ocado Solutions.
“They have already developed a market-leading online proposition in Catalonia with Ocado’s In-Store Fulfilment technology and will now benefit from a highly automated CFC, offering an enhanced customer proposition and a significantly lower cost-to-serve. We look forward to continuing to work together to deliver unbeatable experiences online to customers in the Catalonia region.”
The Catalonian retailer has emerged as the leading online grocery service in its territory, achieving the highest customer satisfaction scores. This success was formally recognised in 2024 when the Spanish consumer organisation OCU rated Bon Preu as Spain’s top online grocery service.
The forthcoming CFC will process Bon Preu’s substantial online volumes using what Ocado describes as the world’s most efficient online grocery fulfilment technology, incorporating the company’s suite of Re:Imagined technologies.