In its Jacksonville distribution plant in Florida, Southeastern Grocers Inc. has launched the world’s first autonomous micro-factory. With its partner Relocalize, the business is testing ice production to help remove middle-mile logistics and cut global greenhouse-gas emissions, water waste, and plastic pollution. Relocalize is a firm that provides supermarkets and convenience merchants with automated food manufacturing platforms as a service. The micro-factories are housed in retailer distribution and fulfilment centres and make CPG items on demand for 100–200 retail locations. The automated manufacturing method enables the grocer to scale production and develop waste-reduction solutions for the product’s whole lifespan, all at a lower economic and environmental cost. The partnership is also launching Party Cubes, the world’s first hyper-local, certified plastic-negative packed ice made on-site and on demand at the grocer’s new micro-factory.

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