Ocado has opened a second location for its 'Zoom by Ocado' rapid delivery service, in Newham, East London.
The opening of the site forms part of a planned wider rollout of Zoom sites across the UK over the coming years, Ocado said in a statement.
Some 130 personnel will be located at the Canning Town location, including team leaders, drivers and warehouse staff, with customer orders delivered within 60 minutes or in a one-hour slot of a customer's own choosing.
Around 10,000 SKUs are available using the service – considerably higher than with many other rapid delivery operators – including Marks & Spencer products.
'Contributing To The Community'
“We’re delighted to be opening our second site, bringing Zoom by Ocado to Newham. We’re committed to being the best neighbour possible, contributing to the community by way of supporting local suppliers and through charitable partnerships," commented George Dean, head of Zoom by Ocado.
“We believe that rapid delivery shouldn’t mean compromising on product range, value or quality - our customers in West London tell us they love the wide range available on Zoom by Ocado which includes M&S lines, great-value Ocado own-label range and hyper-local suppliers."
The Newham site will operate with a fleet of electric cars, e-cargo bikes and electric mopeds, making it one of the 'greenest and quietest grocery facilities in the UK', the retailer said. In addition, all shopping will be delivered in recyclable shopping bags.
Read More: Ocado Retail First-Quarter Results – What the Analysts Said
The Felix Project
The group has also pledged support for local food redistribution charity The Felix Project, donating £500,000 to the charity to fund the purchase of electric vans and e-charging points.
“Everyone at The Felix Project would like to say a huge thank you to Ocado for their continued support," said Charlotte Hill, CEO of The Felix Project. "Throughout 2021, Ocado helped donate the equivalent of 1.6 million meals for those facing hunger. [...] We look forward to working more closely with the team now that they’re nearby in East London.”
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