Save A Lot has partnered with automation company Fabric to open a new, almost fully-automated grocery delivery microhub in Brooklyn.
Photo courtesy of Save A Lot
A familiar company is opening a new quick-service grocery delivery hub in Brooklyn with technology it says could “revolutionize” food shopping.
Save A Lot, a discount grocery chain with more than 700 stores across the country — but none in New York City — is opening a new micro-fulfillment center in Kings County, promising fast and affordable grocery delivery.
The concept isn’t new in New York City. In 2021, the city was flooded with new companies promising 30-minute-or-less grocery delivery, most of which have since closed.
But Save A Lot’s model is different. Its new facility is almost entirely automated with tech from robotic fulfillment company Fabric. When an order comes in through UberEats, robots grab bins full of food and hand them off to other robots on the ground to be delivered to a human packer for delivery.
The system can put together a 50-item grocery order in as little as six minutes, according to Fabric, and orders could be delivered to the consumer’s door in half an hour. The company claims that facilities using Fabric automation pay higher wages and have less turnover than traditional grocery stores, and that the speed and low cost of automation means it’s faster and cheaper than shopping at a traditional grocery store.
“At Save A Lot, we’re committed to keeping prices low and making sure our customers have access to the essentials, especially as inflation continues to affect household budgets,” said Bill Mayo, chief operating officer at Save A Lot, in a statement. “Our partnership with Fabric and expansion into micro-fulfillment will streamline operations and allow us to offer accessibility to consumers wherever they are at competitive prices.”
Grocery store costs have increased roughly 25% across the country since 2020,…
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