Coles launches automated grocery fulfilment centre in Melbourne with 700 robots

Coles has opened a new automated customer fulfilment centre in Melbourne, featuring 700 robots and advanced AI technology. This facility can assemble 50-item grocery orders in just five minutes, significantly improving efficiency compared to previous methods that relied on local stores. The centre handles all next-day online grocery deliveries for greater Melbourne, processing up to 10,000 orders daily. This shift follows a rise in online sales, which increased from under 4% in 2020 to nearly 11% now. Coles invested $400 million in these centres to enhance order accuracy and reduce congestion in local stores. While online orders are now centralized, regional orders and click-and-collect services continue to be managed by local stores.