After three years, Jumbo's mechanised national distribution centre is ready for use. This summer, the supermarket chain plans to supply the first shops from Nieuwegein. Due to the substantial growth of online grocery shopping, new hubs are also planned. Jumbo expects these new locations to create thousands of new jobs this year.
Jumbo spent the past few years building a new national distribution centre for the storage and distribution of long-life products. The 45,000-square-metre complex is now ready for use. This summer, the DC will be commissioned step by step, Jumbo reported when presenting its half-year figures.
Jumbo's so-called medium and slow move products will be processed in the DC. The number of items in this category will rise to over 14,000 in the coming years. Meanwhile, Jumbo says it is also exploring the possibilities for a nearby mechanised DC for fresh produce.
New hubs online groceries
The supermarket chain realised a 14.2 per cent increase in sales in the first half of 2020 compared to the previous year. Demand for home delivery grew particularly fast (50 per cent).
Jumbo currently delivers groceries from regional hubs and two E-fulfilment Centres (EFCs) in 's Hertogenbosch and Raalte. A fifth hub for online groceries was opened in Breda in May. A third EFC in Bleiswijk will follow at the end of this year. The mass retailer is looking at various options for capacity expansion, including new hubs. The supermarket chain expects this expansion to create thousands of new jobs before the end of the year. This will bring the total number of Jumbo employees to around 100,000.
