Symbotic Inc. today partnered with Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. or AWG. Under the strategic agreement, AWG will deploy Symbotic’s warehouse automation at its Gulf Coast Division Support Center in Pearl River, La.
“We are proud and excited to partner with Associated Wholesale Grocers on this important transformation,” said Brian Alexander, senior vice president, commercial, at Symbotic. “AWG’s Gulf Coast facility supports independent grocers that are vital to their local communities. Through the implementation of our ultra-high-density AI‑enabled automation platform, that ecosystem will be powered by a more reliable, efficient, and flexible operation that can adapt to changing demand while improving service, safety, and resiliency.”
AWG’s Gulf Coast Division Support Center currently handles over 22 million cases of dry grocery annually, using fully manual processes. The Kansas City-based company said it faces increasing operational demands. Challenges like labor retention in manual roles, rising equipment repair and distribution costs, weather-related disruptions, and capacity limitations all require investment.
These factors prompted AWG to pursue a more scalable and resilient system. With Symbotic, AWG hopes to support continued growth and improve service to the communities its member retailers serve.
Automation to handle 19M cases annually for AWG
AWG plans to deploy Symbotic’s high‑density, “end‑to‑end” automated system across approximately 114,000 sq. ft. (10,590.9 sq. m) of its existing facility.
Once fully operational, the automation will handle nearly 19 million cases annually, acording to the companies. Symbotic said it will improve order accuracy, reduce product damage, increase operational consistency, and create additional capacity within the existing footprint.
“The Symbotic automation solution will directly address supply chain risks by consolidating the majority of our Gulf Coast Division Support Center grocery volume into a highly automated environment,” said Richard Kearns, AWG’s executive vice president for distribution and logistics.
“This will reduce labor dependency, damage, and repair costs and create a safer, more resilient operation,” he added. “Most importantly, it allows us to grow without the expense of building additional space, driving long-term capital savings while protecting service to our members.”
Construction preparation and facility modifications are expected to begin in early 2027, followed by system installation, testing, and integration. AWG said it anticipates the automated platform to go live in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Symbotic modernizes warehouses
Founded in 2007 as CasePick Systems, Symbotic provides robotics, software, and machine learning for high-density storage and material handling. The Wilmington, Mass.-based company said it modernizes warehouses for the world’s largest retail, wholesale, and food and beverage companies.
In February, Symbotic acquired Fox Robotics, an autonomous forklift provider. The company said Fox Robotics will give it access to a broader market in autonomous material handling.
Symbotic will exhibit at Booth C15868 at MODEX in Atlanta next month.