Strathmore among several Alberta municipalities to benefit from online grocery service

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Strathmore residents are now able to take advantage of a new way to shop for groceries, via a delivery fulfilment center operating out of Rocky View County. 

Empire Company Limited announced in June the ability for consumers in select locations in Alberta to purchase groceries through the Voila mobile app. 

The customer fulfilment center (CFC) in Rocky View County is the third such facility operated by Empire Company, and was announced for development in December 2020.

Similar facilities are currently operational in the Greater Toronto Area, as of June 2020, and in the Greater Montreal Area, which opened in 2022.

“Robots help assemble orders and the Voilà team delivers them to customers in refrigerated vehicles. Voilà will provide customers in Alberta with the choice between home delivery and curbside pickup, with curbside pickup remaining available at 16 of Empire’s 141 stores in the region,” as was stated via release. “This will be the company’s first customer fulfillment centre for home delivery in Western Canada. The new centre will create 1,500 jobs in the County and will feature world-leading robotic automated warehouse and home delivery technology to provide a best-in-class customer experience.”

Through the mobile app, Voila and Empire have stated over 23,000 products similarly available at Sobeys, Safeway, and Farm Boy are available for purchase and delivery. 

Those who choose to purchase through the app can expect to pay the same prices they would otherwise find on shelves in store for the service.

Following order placement, deliveries are suggested to be fulfilled within one hour delivery windows, straight to the customer’s door. 

“Voilà offers an unparalleled online grocery home delivery experience, with 99 per cent order accuracy and 95 per cent on-time delivery,” said Sarah Joyce, senior vice president of E-commerce for Empire Company.

Folks in Calgary, Airdrie, Beaumont, Camrose, Cochrane, Devon, Edmonton, Chestermere, Fort Saskatchewan, Strathmore, High River, Leduc, Morinville, Spruce Grove, Wetaskiwin, Stony Plain, St Albert, Okotoks, and Sherwood Park are able to participate and order through the Voila app.