New Zealand’s first darkstore

Countdown is set to open New Zealand’s first darkstore in Auckland in April 2020.

The retailer will open its first online dedicated fulfillment centre in response to growing demand for the service. Countdown has been rapidly growing its online sales in recent years, announcing that it now accounts for 7.7% of sales in recent results. The facility will be located in Penrose, to the south of Auckland’s city centre.

The centre will focus on home deliveries, with click and collect (Pick Up) orders still serviced through its store network. This enhancements will allow Countdown to deploy the right service in the right location and thus driving a more profitable operation.

The darkstore will stock 27,000 SKU’s, be partially automated and help meet growing demand, with online grocery sales up 38% in the last quarter alone.

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