McMullen didn’t give Florida sales figures. “And all you have to do is be the one that’s in front of that trend change. “Every time that transitions, there’s going to be winners and losers,” McMullen told CNBC. “We pride ourselves on evolving with our customers and meeting them where they are, in-store or online.”įlorida has become Kroger’s blueprint for tackling e-commerce nationwide via its three year-old partnership with United Kingdom-based Ocado - which builds automated warehouses - as it launches its delivery service in the Northeast where it has no stores.

“For more than 90 years, we have served our customers, associates and communities in Florida,” the company said in a statement to The Post. Education Images/Universal Imageįor its part, Publix said: “Competition makes us all better - and our customers benefit the most.” Publix is Florida’s largest grocery chain, controlling more than a third of grocery sales in the Sunshine state. The largest grocery chain in the US is relying on delivery service, massive warehouses and robots to ramp up in Florida, where Kroger planted its flag with a delivery-only service earlier this year.

McMullen told the network that Kroger is making big strides in the Sunshine State where it’s going head-to-head with Publix - and that’s without opening any stores.

That comes after the grocer announced this summer that it would open a massive warehouse in the center of the state, just east of Orlando, that it opened in partnership with Ocado Group, an e-commerce company. He told CNBC in a Thursday story that its Florida inroads are “tracking ahead of where we thought we would be.” Supermarket chain Kroger is doubling down on its effort to win over shoppers in Florida - and it’s using robots to help.ĬEO Rodney McMullen said the chain is expanding its previously announced efforts to use machine learning and robotics to help pick orders bound for delivery to customers. Supply-chain disruptions are now causing a shortage of juice boxes Retailers turn to bizarre tactics to cover up empty shelves as supply chain crisis worsens Stinky situation: NYC luxury tower accused of piling up trash in front of West End supermarket Prices of burgers, hot dogs expected to rise as ‘extraordinary’ inflation hits grocery stores

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