A grand-opening celebration marking the completion of Project ROAR will be held Wednesday, April 15 at 10 a.m. at the Associated Food Stores distribution center in Farr West.
The event, scheduled for invited guests, celebrates the full installation of the Symbotic system, a warehouse automation technology designed to improve efficiency, accuracy and speed across distribution operations. Project ROAR represents a significant investment in modernizing how products move through the supply chain to better support retailers and customers.
The new distribution system will ultimately handle up to 65,000 cases per day, build pallets by store, and make better use of every square foot of warehouse space. For retailers, that translates to greater product availability, a wider SKU selection and more efficient deliveries that lower costs over time.
Construction has progressed with minimal impact on service to retail and Wednesday’s event is a celebration of that accomplishment and the many team members, retailers and partners who showed tremendous teamwork throughout the process.
Separately, team members will have the opportunity to experience the new system firsthand through guided ROAR tours at the Farr West distribution center. Tours will run April 20 through May 1, with two daily sessions beginning at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Each tour will last approximately one hour. Leaders who plan to bring groups are encouraged to coordinate carpooling and submit mileage for reimbursement. Signup information for tours is available here.