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Pattison Food Group modernized grocery fulfillment operations at its distribution center in Langley, British Columbia. The 485,000 sq. ft. (45057.9 sq. m) ambient facility uses automation from Dematic to improve split-case fulfillment efficiency, increase throughput capacity and support scalable grocery distribution operations across Western Canada.
“Dematic’s strength extends beyond automation to a deep understanding of the operational realities shaping modern grocery fulfillment,” stated Mike Olson, senior vice president of supply chain and wholesale at Pattison Food Group. “That expertise helped us build a scalable, intelligent operation that improves performance today while supporting the flexibility needed for future growth.”
Established in 2021, the Pattison Food Group said it is Western Canada’s leading provider of food and drugs. The company includes nine retail grocery banners and other specialty and wholesale operations. Its businesses employ almost 30,000 team members in its nearly 300 food and drug retail locations.
Pattison uses a range of hardware and software
Dematic developed automation to support Pattison Food Group’s nine retail grocery banners, including Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods, and Quality Foods. Its goal was to reduce manual handling, enhance order accuracy, and increase fulfillment agility in response to evolving consumer demand.
The company said it supported scalable, omnichannel grocery with several advanced technologies, including the following:
- Improved warehouse orchestration through Dematic’s software suite
- Increased high-density grocery storage capacity with a Dematic RapidPick and a nine-aisle Dematic Multishuttle system providing nearly 62,000 automated storage locations
- Supported efficient split-case and full-case fulfillment for approximately 11,000 grocery SKUs through 16 goods-to-person (G2P) workstations
- Increased throughput and fulfillment efficiency through integrated decant, conveyor, sortation, tote handling, buffering, and sequencing systems
- Improved operational efficiency and supported reusable tote-based sustainability initiatives
- Maximized system uptime and ongoing operational support through resident maintenance and lifecycle services
Dematic draws on decades of experience
“As grocery operations become more complex and consumer expectations continue to rise, success depends on fulfillment environments that are intelligent, adaptable and built to scale,” said Alexandre Guiard, senior vice president of business solutions for the Americas at Dematic.
“With decades of experience supporting grocery supply chains worldwide, our partnership with Pattison Food Group reflects a shared commitment to building intelligent fulfillment operations where software, automation, and operational intelligence serve as the mind behind the machine — improving service levels, increasing operational confidence and supporting long-term growth.”
Dematic said its automated supply chain systems can adapt to change, maximize productivity and capacity, reduce risk, and create lasting competitive advantage. With more than 10,000 employees worldwide, the company develops, implements, and supports operations with robotics and software.
Atlanta-based Dematic has consulting, research, engineering, manufacturing, and service centers in more than 26 countries. The company, a unit of KION, claimed that it is a trusted partner for distributors, warehouses, and manufacturers globally.