America’s largest grocery chain, The Kroger Co., has no stores in the Birmingham area, but Birmingham residents can now shop Kroger via online purchases and product delivery from a new Birmingham spoke — an offshoot of the company’s major presence in Atlanta.
The 50,000-square-foot site, which opened Thursday, will employ 160 or more workers.
“Serving as a last-mile cross-dock location, the new spoke will operate as a seamless extension of the regional fulfillment center in Atlanta, making Kroger Delivery available to more customers in the greater Birmingham area,” Kroger said in announcing the new facility.
“Kroger Delivery starts by bringing the shopping experience to wherever our customers are, whether they are using the Kroger app or browsing our weekly ad at Kroger.com. Here, customers can access our seamless experience that promises an extensive assortment, thousands of digital coupons, and an entirely personalized shopping trip,” said Bill Bennett, Kroger vice president and head of e-commerce. “Through this zero-compromise service, customers can get fresh, affordable groceries brought to their door through a best-in-class white glove delivery experience, enabled by our refrigerated trucks, and amazing trained drivers. This cutting-edge technology sets a new unmatched standard for grocery delivery.”
Shoppers have the option of paying an annual fee that eliminates most delivery charges.
“For people who live in food deserts, getting groceries can be a real challenge. Eliminating the distance to the grocery store from the doorstep can positively impact our citizens who are most in need of healthy food options. As a community we are excited about Kroger choosing Birmingham for this expansion and are eager to partner with them in exploring more ways to solve for food deserts,” said Cornell Wesley, director of the City of Birmingham’s department of innovation and economic opportunity.
Emily Jenkins Hall, president and COO of the Birmingham Business Alliance, praised the new center, especially “Kroger’s commitment to being a champion employer for our community.”
