Carrefour in UAE and KSA to Replace the Manual Picking System with Robots in 2021

In a deal that would cut pick-up or delivery time to 5 minutes, Dubai retail mogul Majid Al Futtaim joins forces with Takeoff, a US-based technology company, and are set to revolutionise Carrefour’s online orders in the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

“Once in place, Majid Al Futtaim will be the first grocery retailer to use this technology in the Middle East as we look to scale up our e-grocery business and ultimately offer the best service and deliver the best value products to our customers,” says Hani Weiss, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim – Retail.

The partnership will see several micro-fulfilment centres (MFCs) built by 2021. Located at select Carrefour stores, these automated small warehouses will process Carrefour’s online orders to replace the manual picking method currently used.

Customers will be able to place orders through Carrefour online with Takeoff’s automated technology ensuring that robots within the MFCs fulfil the order in less than 5 minutes for pick-up or delivery.

“We are facing a massive shift in the e-grocery industry, and the scales have already begun tipping,” says Max Pedro, co-founder and president of Takeoff that has also helped revolutionise grocery stores like Albertsons and Ahold Delhaize. “We are thrilled to be at the forefront with Majid Al Futtaim, one of the leading global supermarket chains."