Keells opens first ever state-of -the-art Distribution Centre
Keells Supermarkets on Friday officially launched its Rs.4.6 billion, stateof-the-art centralised distribution centre ( DC) in the industrial zone at Kerawalapitiya.
The facility is equipped with latest cutting-edge technology and systems on par with global retail giants. This will serve as Keells Supermarkets’ first owned and operated DC and is a testament to their commitment to product and service excellence, the company said in a media release.
The 260,000 square feet facility occupying nine acres is the third largest warehouse facility in the country and the largest technologically advanced distribution facility in the modern retail sector in the country. The initiative was initially set in motion five years ago after undertaking a comprehensive study on global best practices and the growing needs of the expanding supermarket chain.
Chairman John Keells Group Krishan Balendra said, “The state-of-the-art Distribution Centre is a significant step towards achieving our core purpose at Keells of ‘improving the quality of life for the nation’. This cutting-edge facility which has embedded the highest global standards of technology will support our outlet expansions, catering to a wider consumer base across the country and providing growth opportunities for the stakeholders in our value chain.”
The initiative materialised by consolidating Keells Supermarket’s three warehousing facilities into one centralised warehouse with operations in the dry, fresh, and chilled categories. This in turn now provides all the suppliers the ability to just deliver to one location cutting down on logistical time and costs and benefits particularly the smaller suppliers. The facility is equipped to handle over 100,000 kg of fresh produce daily, and the temperature-controlled space will ensure the cold chain is not compromised.
The roof space spanning 200,000 square feet would be set up with solar panels that will have an installed capacity of approximately 800 KW. With this, the total solar power installed capacity of the chain would increase to approximately 12 MW, making the Keells Supermarket chain one of the leading brands in Sri Lanka generating renewable energy, the release said.