Retail giant Groupe Casino to offer Ocado robotic fulfillment technology to other French retailers
Ocado has signed a memorandum of understanding with Groupe Casino, allowing it to provide its technology to other French companies.
The new joint venture releases Ocado from its exclusivity agreement to work only with Groupe Casino in France. Casino was Ocado’s first major international technology partner, but after signing an agreement in 2017 it has only opened one robotic warehouse since, in the greater Paris area.
As part of the new joint venture, Ocado said that it would roll out the use of its in-store picking software across Casino’s Monoprix chain, which consists of 700 shops.
Ocado said that it would also now be able to offer its specialist software and logistic functions,
🚨 Le groupe Casino et @OcadoGroup annoncent la signature d’un protocole d’accord pour étendre leur partenariat privilégié en France. Ce protocole prévoit ntmt la création d’une #jointventure chargée de développer/gérer en 🇫🇷 des entrepôts automatisés @OcadoTechnology. #ecommerce pic.twitter.com/otdDARGfxe
— Groupe Casino (@Groupe_Casino) February 17, 2022
The grocer previously had an exclusive agreement to work only with Groupe Casino in France.
Groupe Casino was Ocado’s first major international technology partner. However, since announcing their collaboration in 2017, the retail group has only opened one warehouse using Ocado’s technology.
NEW: 🇫🇷 Exciting day! New growth opportunities opening up in France, including our new joint venture with our partners @Groupe_Casino! Read more about the MOU here: https://t.co/rMqqNBB0wM
— Luke Jensen (@LukeJensenOcado) February 18, 2022
As a result, the two companies are establishing a joint venture to develop and manage future warehouses, as well as the recruitment and operations management of employees at the sites.
Ocado’s robotic fulfilment and commerce solutions will help run the autonomous warehouses.
“The online grocery channel in France has reached an inflection point, with a huge rise in demand for compelling, affordable and efficient grocery e-commerce propositions. Our growing partnership and live operations in Ile-de-France have set the highest bar for the experience French consumers can expect in online grocery,” said Ocado Group chief executive officer Tim Steiner.
“This announcement marks a deepening of the relationship between Groupe Casino and Ocado Group, and it will further support the capital light expansion of our partnership into other French regions. For the first time, it will also open up the whole of the French grocery market to Ocado’s solutions.”
Groupe Casino chief executive officer Jean-Charles Naouri added: “This partnership illustrates our ability to once again revolutionise the way of disrupting the online grocery market.”
“After having experienced the success of the Ocado solution with Monoprix Plus, Casino Plus and Naturalia Marché Bio, French consumers will be able to benefit from new, even more efficient e-commerce services, making their daily needs even easier.”
