Locus Robotics , a leading provider of flexible warehouse automation, has helped HelloFresh , the world’s leading meal-kit provider , increase its refrigerated picking capacity at its warehouse in Phoenix, Arizona, from 100 to 500 items. This was made possible by a custom hardware configuration designed for use in refrigerated environments. The fivefold increase in item capacity creates additional flexibility for a greater variety of meals and supports the continued growth of the HelloFresh brand portfolio.
From pilot project to fleet expansion in just three months
In July 2025, HelloFresh’s Factor brand initially deployed 13 Locus Origin autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) as part of a pilot project. Even at a very early stage, the robots demonstrated the reliability and consistent performance required for order picking in refrigerated areas. From order placement to delivery of the carton, the robots required an average of only three minutes and 36 seconds.
Following this impressive initial performance, HelloFresh expanded its installation by 26 additional Origin robots within three months. The company also plans to integrate order picking for EveryPlate later this year.
High execution speed and reliable processes are crucial for success in cooled fulfillment environments. For HelloFresh, it was therefore invaluable to use Locus Robotics to reduce a critical process step to just a few minutes while simultaneously laying the foundation for further growth.
“Our customers expect more choice, flexibility, and a consistently outstanding shopping experience,” emphasizes Brad Mesloh, Associate Director, Strategic Design at HelloFresh. “Meeting these expectations in a refrigerated environment requires high precision, maximum speed, and technology that can adapt to the complexity of our operations. Locus Robotics provided our teams with a simple and intuitive AMR platform that was faster, safer, and more compact than other solutions we tested. Implementation was exceptionally smooth, with a large portion of the testing completed virtually before go-live. Once the robots were operational, final validation took only a few days. This made commissioning significantly faster and simpler than with our legacy systems.”
Tailor-made technology for extreme storage conditions
Order picking in refrigerated areas places special demands on battery-powered robots. Low temperatures can impair battery efficiency over time and with intensive use. Furthermore, HelloFresh’s operating model requires the robots to remain in the refrigerated environment continuously, both during operation and charging.
To meet this requirement, Locus Robotics developed special cold adaptations that support reliable operation and charging under refrigerated conditions.
“HelloFresh scales one of the most demanding fulfillment models on the market, characterized by high volumes, a wide variety of products, and consistent temperature control,” explains Denis Niezgoda, Chief Commercial Officer International at Locus Robotics. “By increasing capacity and extending automation across HelloFresh’s entire brand portfolio, Locus Robotics is helping the company offer its customers a wider selection of meals while ensuring the speed and precision that this fulfillment model requires.”
Locus Robotics supports a refrigerated picking area of approximately 1,115 square meters at HelloFresh, including two high-speed lines for picking meal kits. In some workflows, the robots move orders directly from the storage location to the delivery point. This allows HelloFresh to process products more quickly while simultaneously maintaining order tracking.
Flexible concept instead of rigid conveyor technology
HelloFresh initially evaluated several automation approaches before opting for a focused proof of concept with Locus Robotics. This approach enabled the team to proceed more quickly, reduced initial investment, and provided practical experience with Locus Robotics’ Origin AMRs in an ongoing, temperature-controlled fulfillment environment.
The deployment also helped HelloFresh avoid some limitations of traditional, fixed automation systems. With Locus Robotics, HelloFresh gained a more flexible automation concept based on compact robots, a simple picking interface, and an intelligent, software-supported AMR orchestration platform. The solution can be seamlessly integrated into existing processes and expanded as requirements change.
Further information on Locus Robotics’ solution portfolio can be found at https://locusrobotics.com/
About HelloFresh
The HelloFresh Group is a global, digitally focused FMCG company and the world’s leading provider of meal kits. Offering its products under eight different brands, HelloFresh provides its customers with suitable, high-quality ingredients and recipes for various occasions. Founded in Berlin in November 2011, HelloFresh operates in the USA, the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, France, Denmark, Norway, and Ireland. HelloFresh SE went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in November 2017 and is currently traded on the SDAX. The HelloFresh Group has offices in Berlin, Saarbrücken, New York, Chicago, Boulder, London, Amsterdam, Sydney, Toronto, Auckland, Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Wrocław, and Warsaw.
Further information can be found at https://www.hellofreshgroup.com/de/
About Locus Robotics
Locus Robotics is a leader in flexibility-first warehouse automation, helping companies reliably plan, implement, and adapt fulfillment processes even under volatile conditions. The solution enables operational flexibility in the face of fluctuating volumes, variable staff availability, and changing order profiles.
Powered by the LocusONE™ platform, Locus Robotics orchestrates order picking, replenishment, sorting, and packing in an integrated system of robotics, smart control, and applied AI. Over 150 companies in the retail, healthcare, 3PL, and industrial sectors at more than 350 locations worldwide rely on Locus Robotics’ Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model to flexibly adapt their warehouse performance to operational requirements.
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