Automated systems from KNAPP are enabling a Middle Eastern grocery retailer to fulfil up to 7,820 online orders a day, including chilled and frozen products.
Shufersal Online, the e-commerce operation of Israel’s leading supermarket chain, has invested in automated systems and software from KNAPP at its central fulfilment centres (CFCs) in Kadima and Modi’in.
The Modi’in facility – the second to be automated and operational since 2023 – features four temperature zones, a picking robot and a fully automatic bag insertion system. Fulfilling online grocery orders for delivery to the greater Tel Aviv area, the automation at Modi’in ensures maximum performance, short lead times and optimum delivery quality.
Four temperature zones
Consumers can order from a range of 19,500 SKUs, which cover four temperature zones: +22°C for dry goods, +15°C for perishable foods, +4°C for refrigerated products and -24°C for frozen foods.
Dwell-time management software enables the cold chain to be maintained even though frozen goods are not picked at -24°C. KNAPP’s software constantly calculates how much time each container can spend in a particular zone without allowing the products to thaw.
Shuttle storage
After transfer of products arriving at the warehouse into storage containers at one of 30 decanting stations, goods are stored in KNAPP’s Evo Shuttle automated storage systems at the facility – including the first Evo Shuttle store for frozen foods to be delivered worldwide. Robot shuttles store the containers and then retrieve them on demand for transfer to the picking stations.
Container lids fitted with special ice packs on the inside are also stored and frozen in the Evo Shuttle system. These lids allow picked orders to be kept cool until delivery to the customer’s door.
Automatic bagging
KNAPP’s solution for Shufersal Online also features an automatic system for insertion of paper bags into totes. This not only saves time but avoids the need for staff to complete a repetitive and strain-inducing manual task.
Picking robot
The Modi’in CFC features the world’s first single-item picking robot installed for online food retail. Thanks to AI-supported object recognition and grip-point calculation, KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy Robot can pick a wide range of items accurately and gently.
Ergonomic pick stations
The combination of the Evo Shuttle system and the 29 ergonomically designed goods-to-person workstations from KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy series results in a picking performance of 600 units per hour. Order fulfilment is also supported by pick-to-light pick faces that are replenished by the Evo Shuttle store.
Sequencing and dispatch
In the shipping area, order containers with items from different temperature zones are sequenced by delivery route, with the Evo Shuttle solution serving as an order buffer.
Powerful software
Shufersal Online also opted for a comprehensive range of digital solutions and services from KNAPP. These feature a number of tools from the company’s KiSoft software suite, including the AI-powered KiSoft Analytics (for real-time analysis and visualisation of data) and KiSoft Genomix (for managing master data). Shufersal Online also benefits from KNAPP’s remote control centre for proactive, preventative monitoring 24/7.
Clear benefits
Shufersal Online is enjoying higher efficiency, speed and accuracy, resulting in enhanced product quality for customers. “Our e-commerce solution from KNAPP allows us to be less reliant on the workforce and our throughput is much higher than before,” commented Sharon Galatziano, Head of CFC Operation at Shufersal Online. “With manual picking it takes about an hour – here, we fulfil an order in about 10 minutes. This means we complete orders much faster, much more accurately, and we can deal with a bigger assortment of items than in a regular store.”
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