H Mart Teams With AutoStore on Micro Fulfillment
H Mart, the largest Asian food retailer in the country, is launching a fully automated micro-fulfillment center (MFC) to support its online grocery operations.
The grocer has partnered with AutoStore, the Norwegian robotics technology company, in collaboration with Bastian Solutions, to introduce a fully automated MFC to support H Mart’s online grocery operations in Carlstadt, New Jersey.
“Hmart.com has proven to be an important offering to our customers. Hmart.com enables our customers to experience the food that lets them feel at home, just as when they shop in-store. We’ve partnered with the best automated technology in the field to fulfill our orders quickly and efficiently. We’re excited to work with Bastian Solutions and AutoStore to deliver the highest quality Asian products to our customers,” said Vince Colatriano, EVP of H Mart.
AutoStore’s robotics and WMS technologies combine to provide retailers with a complete MFC solution, increasing fulfillment efficiency for a broad range of grocery packaged goods along with fresh and frozen items, while delivering a best-in-class customer experience.
AutoStore’s MFC solution is flexible and scalable and can even be installed at the back of a store. This enables retailers to reduce the average distance between an MFC and their customer, allowing for both in-store pickup and rapid home delivery. The AutoStore system is one of the most efficient automation solutions available for order fulfillment in e-grocery – where storage density, operator productivity and lead time are critical.
“H Mart’s investment in e-grocery automation will not only help the bottom line of their online business but will also benefit their customer base as a whole. We’re excited to work with Bastian Solutions in providing H Mart a solution that gives them greater operational efficiency and order accuracy, so customers receive exactly what they ordered,” said Mike Demko, the head of AutoStore’s MFC business line.
In February, Peapod Digital Labs, Ahold Delhaize USA’s digital, e-commerce and commercial engine, announced it had launched a micro-fulfillment technology pilot with The Giant Co. in the Philadelphia market. Part of an e-commerce fulfillment center, the pilot employs a Swisslog solution including AutoStore technology powered by Swisslog’s SynQ software, as well as Peapod Digital Labs’ proprietary manual picking capabilities.
Founded in 1982 with a single store in Woodside, Queens, H Mart has grown to more than 97 stores across the United States. H Mart is No. 81 on Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
