Locus Robotics Helps HelloFresh Expand Temperature-Controlled SKU Capacity 5X Across Growing Brand Portfolio
Locus Robotics announced that a customized hardware modification for its Locus Origin autonomous mobile robots has allowed HelloFresh to scale its chilled fulfillment capacity from 100 to 500 stock-keeping units—a fivefold increase. The expanded capacity supports greater meal variety and new revenue opportunities across the meal kit company’s brand portfolio, including Factor, EveryPlate, and the flagship HelloFresh brand.
The modification, which includes a heated motor enhancement and related charging updates, enables the battery-powered robots to operate reliably and continuously inside refrigerated environments where cold temperatures typically reduce battery efficiency. HelloFresh’s operating model requires the robots to remain in chilled conditions both for work and charging.
Rapid Deployment and Performance in Chilled Fulfillment
Factor, a HelloFresh brand, initially deployed 13 Locus Origin robots in July 2025 as part of a pilot program. The robots demonstrated strong execution consistency, averaging a mission time of just 3 minutes and 36 seconds from order induction through box drop-off. Following that early success, HelloFresh expanded the deployment within three months, adding 26 additional Locus Origin robots, with plans to integrate EveryPlate fulfillment support later this year.
That mission speed is especially critical in temperature-controlled fulfillment, where every minute matters. Industry benchmarks for third-party logistics fulfillment often measure performance in 30-minute or multi-hour windows, making the sub-four-minute movement a significant competitive advantage.
“Our customers expect more choice, more flexibility, and a consistently great experience,” said Brad Mesloh, Associate Director of Strategic Design at HelloFresh. “Delivering that in a chilled fulfillment environment requires precision, speed, and technology that can adapt to the complexity of our operations. Locus Robotics gave our teams a simple, easy-to-use AMR platform that was faster, safer, and required less space than other options we evaluated.”
Customized Technology for Refrigerated Environments
Locus Robotics developed the heated motor enhancement specifically to address the challenges of refrigerated operations. Cold temperatures can degrade battery performance over time, and HelloFresh’s workflow required the robots to remain inside chilled storage areas continuously. The modification, along with related charging modifications, ensures reliable operation in cold storage.
Locus Robotics supports approximately 12,000 square feet of HelloFresh’s chilled fulfillment space, including two high-speed meal kit picking lines. In some workflows, Locus Origin robots move orders directly from induction to drop-off, helping HelloFresh accelerate product movement while maintaining order tracking.
“HelloFresh is scaling one of the most demanding fulfillment models in the market: high volume, high variety, and temperature-controlled from start to finish,” said Jasmine Lombardi, Chief Customer Officer at Locus Robotics. “By increasing capacity and expanding automation across HelloFresh’s portfolio of brands, Locus Robotics is enabling greater meal choice for its customers while maintaining the speed and precision its fulfillment model demands.”
Strategic Approach to Automation
HelloFresh initially evaluated a larger integrated automation system involving two additional providers, but chose to begin with a focused proof of concept using Locus Robotics. The approach allowed the team to move faster, reduce upfront cost, and gain hands-on experience with Locus Origin robots in a live chilled fulfillment environment.
The deployment also helped HelloFresh avoid constraints associated with traditional fixed conveyor systems, where a single failure can disrupt the entire fulfillment flow. With Locus Robotics, the company gained a more flexible automation model with compact robots, a simple picking interface, and a smart AMR platform designed to fit within existing operations.
Mesloh noted that the implementation was extremely smooth, with much of the testing completed virtually before go-live. “Once the robots were on the floor, final validation took only a few days, making the deployment much quicker and simpler than our legacy systems,” he said.
The source for this article is https://www.roboticstomorrow.com/news/2026/06/23/locus-robotics-helps-hellofresh-expand-temperature-controlled-sku-capacity-5x-across-growing-brand-portfolio/26768/.