• The Detroit Free Press reports that Kroger has picked Romulus, Michigan - in the Detroit Metro area - as the site for a new $95 million Ocado-powered, robotics-enabled, 135,000 square-foot warehouse.
According to the story, "This facility will support the Michigan, northern Ohio and Indiana markets … Once ground breaks on the site, the facility is expected to be operational in 18 months."
• Two weeks after Amazon opened its first Amazon Fresh supermarket in the Southern California community of Woodland Hills, the Long Beach Post News reports that Amazon has confirmed that it plans to open another one in the region - in a former Haggen/Albertsons location in Long Beach that has been shuttered for five years.
According to the story, "No opening date has been announced due to COVID-19 supply chain complications, an Amazon spokesperson said. The company is still working to finalize an open date but job postings will go live first thing Tuesday morning."
A quick check reveals that the new Amazon Fresh location is virtually next door to a Stater bros, across the street from a Grocery Outlet, and just a half-mile east of a Pavilions. So while Amazon may not be spoiling for a fight, it is likely to get one.
