Kroger expands autonomous vehicle delivery service

The Kroger Co. and Nuro announced an expanded collaboration to continue redefining the customer experience leveraging autonomous vehicles with the introduction of Nuro's third-generation autonomous delivery vehicle.

In 2018, Kroger and Nuro announced a partnership to deliver fresh groceries with all-electric, autonomous vehicles.

"Our expanded collaboration with Nuro supports Kroger's commitment to provide fresh food, at a great value — all without asking our customers to compromise," said Yael Cosset, Kroger's senior vice president and chief information officer. "The role of autonomous vehicles in our seamless ecosystem continues to increase, contributing to meeting our customers in the context of their day without compromising on the quality or value, while contributing to our long-term growth and sustainability goals."

Leveraging Nuro's new third-generation vehicles, Kroger will continue to grow its digital offerings in Houston, one of the largest cities in the U.S., building on its commitment to anything, anytime, anywhere. Grocery delivery through autonomous vehicles is a leading-edge e-commerce solution that offers customer-focused convenience — regardless of basket size.

"We are thrilled to expand our longstanding strategic partnership with Kroger and further our shared vision for the future of goods delivery," said Dave Ferguson, Nuro co-founder and president. "We look forward to leveraging our third-generation, and most advanced, autonomous vehicle to date to continue to build on the success of this program."

This expanded collaboration is a key part of Kroger's seamless ecosystem. The grocer is committed to making it simple for its customers to find the grocery items they crave without compromising on freshness or value. Its seamless ecosystem supports customers who want to shop online, in-store or a combination of both to support the needs of each day.

"We are excited to expand our collaboration with Nuro here in Houston, one of the largest cities in the U.S.," said Laura Gump, president of Kroger's Houston division. "Our associates, customers and city embrace innovation and we are thrilled to be able to soon provide this enterprising grocery delivery service to even more shoppers across the region."