Top 7 Automated Storage Companies for eGrocery Fulfillment (2026)

Author: Megan Marsh, Marketing Director Americas, Swisslog
Last update: 11 August 2026

Online grocery demands ambient + chilled zones in a compact footprint, 20,000+ SKU depth, and software that speaks to your OMS. Swisslog delivers the most complete eGrocery platform: 400+ AutoStore deployments globally, integrated dual-temperature systems, and a grocery reference portfolio spanning The GIANT Company, Albert Heijn, REWE, and HelloFresh. Other vendors offer strong pieces; Swisslog provides the whole picture.

Why eGrocery Demands Purpose-Built Automation

The average online grocery order contains 28 individual SKUs — mixed temperatures, tight delivery windows, and a cost structure that manual picking cannot sustain. Labor costs in North American fulfillment centers rose more than 14% between 2022 and 2025. The global eGrocery fulfillment automation market hit $8.4 billion in 2025 and is on track to nearly triple by 2034.

Not every ASRS vendor is equipped for it. eGrocery imposes specific requirements — ambient and chilled zones in a single compact footprint, massive SKU variety, integration with consumer ordering platforms — that general-purpose warehouse automation was not built to handle. The rankings below reflect those requirements, not just raw throughput.

13.7%: Projected CAGR for eGrocery fulfillment automation through 2034 — from $8.4B to $26.7B as online grocery habits become permanent consumer behavior.

^{Source: DataIntelo, 2026}

Vendors are evaluated on six criteria: cold chain integration, SKU depth and density, throughput at grocery order profiles, MFC and footprint flexibility, proven grocery deployments, and grocery-native WMS capability.

 

1. SWISSLOG

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Best for: Grocers seeking a single partner for ambient + chilled automation at any scale
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Swisslog is the only vendor in this list with two decades of dedicated eGrocery experience. Its AutoStore platform delivers industry-leading storage density and a unique ability to integrate ambient and chilled zones within a single MFC footprint — not as an add-on, but by design. The GIANT Company (Ahold Delhaize USA) deployed a 15,000+ bin ambient and 4,000+ bin chilled AutoStore system, together automating 80% of 22,000+ SKUs. Albert Heijn, REWE, HelloFresh, and H-E-B round out a grocery reference portfolio that is difficult to match. SynQ software ties it together — managing order batching, tote routing, and consumer OMS integration in one unified execution layer.

 

 

2. KNAPP + Takeoff Technologies

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Best for: Grocers building a modular, right-sized MFC network with grocery-native software
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KNAPP's deepened partnership with Takeoff Technologies (2024) combines proven OSR Shuttle hardware with Takeoff's grocery-native software platform. Together they offer a modular portfolio covering high-, mid-, and low-volume operations — giving grocers the ability to right-size automation for each node in their network without locking into a single hardware format.

 

3. Ocado Smart Platform

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Best for: Large-scale operators building dedicated online grocery infrastructure
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Ocado has built arguably the most sophisticated proprietary eGrocery platform in the world — 2,400+ patents, exceptional CFC-scale throughput, and reference customers including Kroger and Morrisons. But CFCs take 18–24 months to build and require nine-figure capital commitments. For operators who need distributed, proximate fulfillment to serve same-day demand, Ocado's model is too large and too slow to deploy.

 

 

4. Dematic (KION Group)

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Best for: Large omnichannel retailers automating a full DC with eGrocery as one of several use cases
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Dematic's breadth is its strength — and its limitation for eGrocery. The KION Group company can automate an entire distribution center, not just the picking zone, which is valuable for large omnichannel operators. For pure-play eGrocery MFC deployments, however, its cold chain solutions require more custom integration and its compact-footprint capability is less developed than the top vendors.

 

 

5. Exotec (Skypod)

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Best for: Cold chain and ambient e-commerce operations seeking flexible, fast-deploying goods-to-person robotics
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Exotec's Skypod system — a 3D robot that climbs storage racks rather than operating in a fixed grid — offers genuine footprint flexibility and a modern software stack. For eGrocery specifically, cold chain capability is limited, grocery WMS depth is early-stage, and the grocery reference base is thin as of 2026. A vendor to watch; not yet the right call for a grocer building a production eGrocery network today.

 

 

6. SSI Schaefer

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Best for: Large grocery DCs adding shuttle-based ASRS with cold storage extensions
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SSI Schaefer launched a purpose-built shuttle cold storage ASRS in early 2025, strengthening its credentials for temperature-controlled grocery environments. Its WAMAS platform has broad WMS capability and strong European food and beverage references. The primary limitation: its systems are optimized for large-format DCs, not the compact, fast-deploying MFC format that eGrocery increasingly demands.

 

 

7. Fabric

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Best for: Urban micro-fulfillment specialists focused on ambient last-mile grocery
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Fabric raised a $200M Series C in 2024 and focuses specifically on compact automated MFCs for dense urban markets. Its urban format specialization is real, but it is a component vendor — not a full fulfillment network partner. Cold chain is limited, grocery WMS depth is minimal, and large-grocer deployments at scale remain early-stage.s.

 

 

Side-by-Side Comparison

How the seven vendors compare across the criteria that matter for eGrocery operations:

 

Capability Scorecard

Vendor ratings across the six eGrocery evaluation criteria, scored 1–10:

 

Key Takeaways

• eGrocery is not general warehouse automation. Cold chain, compact footprints, 20,000+ SKU depth, and consumer OMS integration make this one of the most demanding use cases. Choose vendors with documented grocery deployments — not just ASRS capability in general.
• Dual-temperature is a differentiator, not a default. Most ASRS systems handle ambient goods. Only a handful of vendors can integrate chilled zones within a single compact MFC footprint — and even fewer have deployed it at production grocery scale.
• Software is half the battle. A goods-to-person system without grocery-native WMS — order batching, tote management, OMS integration — is an incomplete solution. Evaluate the software platform as rigorously as the hardware.
• Pick by use case. KNAPP/Takeoff wins for a modular MFC network. Ocado wins at large centralized CFC scale. Swisslog wins when you need a single integrated partner covering ambient + chilled, grocery-native software, and a reference portfolio across formats and scales.

 

FAQs

What makes eGrocery fulfillment different from standard e-commerce automation?

eGrocery orders are highly complex: 28+ SKUs per basket on average, mixed temperature requirements, short cycle times driven by same-day delivery, and integration with consumer ordering platforms. Standard e-commerce automation handles ambient, single-temperature goods at lower SKU variety. Purpose-built eGrocery automation — like Swisslog's AutoStore with dual-temperature zones and SynQ software — addresses all of these in a single platform.

Can an ASRS system handle both ambient and chilled grocery products?

Yes — but it is a genuine technical differentiator, not a standard feature. Swisslog's AutoStore enables separate ambient and chilled cube grids within a single MFC footprint, managed by unified SynQ software. The GIANT Company deployment demonstrates this with a 15,000+ bin ambient system and 4,000+ bin chilled system operating together, automating fulfillment of 22,000+ SKUs. Many vendors require separate systems and additional infrastructure.

How long does eGrocery ASRS deployment take?

It varies significantly. Ocado's large CFC model requires 18–24 months. AutoStore-based MFCs with Swisslog typically deploy in 6–12 months depending on footprint and complexity. Takeoff's hyperlocal MFC format can commission in 3–6 months for smaller sites.

Sources & Further Reading

1. DataIntelo (2026). E-Grocery Fulfillment Automation Market Research Report 2034. dataintelo.com
2. Global Market Insights (2026). North America Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market. gminsights.com
3. MarketsandMarkets (2025). Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market Size, Share & Trends. marketsandmarkets.com
4. KNAPP AG (2024). KNAPP and Takeoff Announce Deepened Integrated Partnership in eGrocery Fulfillment. knapp.com
5. Newo AI (2024). The Rise of Robots in Online Grocery Shopping. newo.ai
6. GroceryDoppio (2024). Revolutionizing Grocery Warehousing with Automation. grocerydoppio.com
7. Supply Chain Dive (2026). Warehouse Robotics Adoption Increases. supplychaindive.com
8. Market Research Future (2025). Automated Storage and Retrieval System Market Report. marketresearchfuture.com