Dutch retailer Albert Heijn has opened its second mechanised Home Shop Centre (HSC) in the Netherlands as it seeks to cater to more online customers.
The latest opening at Zwolle takes the total number of HSCs across its network in the Netherlands. It will help Albert Heijn in expanding its capacity to handle online orders in the Northeast of the country, the company added.
Marit van Egmond, CEO of Albert Heijn, stated, "As a leader in the online grocery market, we are constantly looking at how we can work smarter and more efficiently by using the latest technologies to meet the growing demand.
"It is therefore great that with our new mechanised Home Shop Centre in Zwolle, we can provide even more customers in the Northeast of the Netherlands with groceries in a sustainable way. And of course, our new colleagues play a crucial role in taking care of the groceries for our customers."
Mechanised Facility
The new facility in Zwolle follows the example of the HSC in Barendrecht and is equipped to process an additional 55,000 orders per week compared to other facilities, the company noted.
The building where the HSC is housed is completely gas-free, featuring various sustainable energy solutions, such as solar panels on the rooftop, energy-efficient cold room and LED lighting, and a heat pump for the climate control system in the offices.
Other Initiatives
Albert Heijn has also invested in sustainable delivery, smart energy solutions, and the addition of features to its app, including new payment solutions.
In November of last year, the retailer launched the Buurtroute initiative to make delivery routes shorter by linking delivery times of customers in the same neighbourhood.
It also plans to introduce new gel packs to eliminate the use of dry ice by the end of the year.
The retailer is also commencing a pilot for delivering refrigerated and frozen products without plastic bags, which has the potential to save more than 600,000 kilograms of plastic per year.
