Ocado Group
About
About Ocado Group
Ocado Group develops the automation, software and ecommerce systems behind the Ocado Smart Platform for grocery retailers. High-speed storage bots travel across the top of a dense grid, retrieving totes from multiple temperature zones and delivering inventory for manual or robotic picking. Orchestration software sequences storage, replenishment, picking, order consolidation and dispatch across customer fulfilment centres and smaller store-based installations.
On-Grid Robotic Pick mounts vision-guided arms directly beside the grid and uses sensing and learned control to handle products with varied shapes, packaging and fragility. Automated Frameload places completed order totes onto delivery frames, while routing and commerce software connect the automated warehouse to online orders and last-mile operations. By 2026, robotic picking had reached 14 fulfilment centres and eight retail partners, with more than 350 million picks completed; Ocado's Luton site was handling about half its order volume robotically across 45,000 product lines.
Products
- 600 Series Bot
600 Series Bot
Deployments
- Customer site
2026-10-22 - Ocado’s AutoFreezer operates at the newly opened Hachioji centre. - Ocado automated frozen-goods storage and picking used by AEON Next in Hachioji. - Hachioji CFC
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Financials
- OCDO.L - LSE - GBP
Team
- Tim Steiner - Chief Executive Officer
- Alex Harvey - Chief Engineering Officer - His remit includes automation and embedded systems work behind Ocado's robotic fulfillment platform.
Timeline
Events
- 2026-10-22 - Deployment - Ocado automation enters operation at AEON Next’s Hachioji fulfilment centre
AutoFreezer automates frozen-goods storage and picking, reducing the need for employees to work inside the freezer. The four-storey site has about 40,000m² of floor space on a 54,000m² plot. AEON Next expects productivity to reach 115% of its Honda centre benchmark; further robotic handling expansion depends on operating volumes.
Source - 2026-07-21 - Contract Award - Ocado wins large automated CFC agreement with European retailer
The site will use Ocado's Re:Imagined suite, including the 600-series robot, On-Grid Robotic Pick and fully automated freezer technology. The retailer expects to transfer existing online volumes into the facility. Ocado expects the site to open at just over half of its design capacity.
Source - 2024-11-15 - Capability - Ocado advances On Grid Robotic Pick for automated grocery fulfillment
Ocado detailed On Grid Robotic Pick, its robotic arm technology for picking, packing and organizing stock directly from the grid. The system is designed to work alongside Ocado's bot fleets inside automated fulfillment centers. The update reinforces Ocado's move from grid-based storage automation toward robotic item picking at fulfillment scale.
Source - 2023-11-15 - Partnership - Ocado signs non-grocery automation deal with McKesson Canada
The agreement applies Ocado Intelligent Automation technology outside grocery fulfillment. McKesson Canada is the named customer for the automation deal.
Source - 2023-06-30 - Acquisition - Ocado completes USD 12.7M acquisition of 6 River Systems
6 River Systems developed Chuck, a collaborative autonomous mobile robot that assists warehouse pickers. Chuck was deployed in more than 100 warehouses serving over 70 customers at the time of the transaction. 6 River Systems joined Ocado Intelligent Automation and its results were assigned to Ocado’s Technology Solutions segment.
Source - 2023-05-04 - Acquisition - Ocado agrees to acquire 6 River Systems from Shopify
6 River Systems developed the Chuck collaborative autonomous mobile robot for warehouse picking. At announcement, Chuck robots were deployed in more than 100 warehouses with over 70 customers. Ocado identified 6 River Systems' non-grocery retail expertise, intellectual property and team as additions to its technology estate.
Source - 2020-11-09 - Acquisition - Ocado acquires Kindred Systems
Kindred designed, supplied and serviced piece-picking robots. Ocado said the acquisition would accelerate robotic picking development. Current Ocado robotic picking claims should not be attributed to Kindred without specific lineage evidence.
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Notes
Profile notes
- Kroger retreated from a nationwide automated-warehouse model rather than abandoning Ocado everywhere
reviewed 2026-07-20 - Kroger and Ocado originally planned a network of up to 20 automated customer-fulfilment centres, but only eight were built before Kroger decided to close three, cancel another and rely more heavily on stores and delivery partners. Five automated centres remain in use, so the outcome is a major contraction and operating-model reversal—not a complete termination of the technology partnership.
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Relations
Relationships
- McKesson
Technology Partner - Ocado Group signed a non-grocery automation technology deal with McKesson Canada.
- KUKA
Documented Deployment - KUKA documents its robotics deployed or integrated for Ocado in food fulfilment automation.
- 6 River Systems
Current Parent - 6 River Systems joined Ocado Group in 2023; its technology now operates as the Ocado Mobile Robot System.
- Kindred Systems Inc.
Acquirer - Ocado Group acquired Kindred Systems to add robotic piece-picking capability and integrate its team while supporting Kindred existing customers.
- European national retailer
Procurement Recipient - A European retailer selected Ocado automation for a large fulfilment centre scheduled to open in FY2028.
- Unnamed European national retailer
Automated Cfc Customer - Ocado will build and equip a large automated CFC for an unnamed European national retailer.
- AEON Next
Partner - Ocado AutoFreezer handles frozen-goods storage and picking at AEON Next’s operational Hachioji CFC.
Commercial
- Ocado wins large automated CFC agreement with European retailer
2026-07-21 · Order / contract · Ocado will install its latest automation in a large Customer Fulfilment Centre for an unnamed fast-growing European national retailer, with go-live due in FY2028.
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