Pattison Food Group Deploys Dematic Automation at BC Warehouse

Grocery distributor upgrades fulfillment infrastructure

Pattison Food Group has completed a comprehensive automation overhaul at its Langley, British Columbia distribution center, implementing advanced warehouse technology from Dematic to expand capacity and improve operational efficiency across its Western Canada grocery network.

The 485,000-square-foot ambient grocery facility now serves Pattison's retail banners—including Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods, and Quality Foods—with significantly enhanced fulfillment capabilities. The modernization centers on reducing manual handling while streamlining both split-case and full-case order processing.

Why it matters

As grocery retailers face persistent labor shortages and rising customer expectations for speed and accuracy, distribution center automation has shifted from competitive advantage to operational necessity. The investment signals how mid-market regional grocers are adopting technologies previously limited to national chains, fundamentally changing the economics of grocery supply chain management.

Technical architecture

The system's core comprises a high-density automated storage installation featuring Dematic RapidPick technology and a nine-aisle Dematic Multishuttle system. Together, these provide nearly 62,000 automated storage locations capable of handling approximately 11,000 grocery stock-keeping units.

Sixteen goods-to-person workstations eliminate traditional pick-walk methods by bringing inventory directly to employees. The facility also incorporates automated decanting, conveyor systems, sortation technology, tote handling, buffering, and sequencing capabilities designed to optimize product flow.

"Dematic's strength extends beyond automation to a deep understanding of the operational realities shaping modern grocery fulfillment," said Mike Olson, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Wholesale at Pattison Food Group. "That expertise helped us build a scalable, intelligent operation that improves performance today while supporting the flexibility needed for future growth."

Software-driven coordination

Dematic's warehouse orchestration platform coordinates inventory movement, storage, and fulfillment activities throughout the facility, providing real-time visibility and operational control. This software layer represents a critical component as warehouse systems become increasingly complex.

The facility utilizes reusable tote-based fulfillment processes that reduce disposable material consumption while improving handling efficiency—aligning with Pattison's sustainability objectives.

Strategic context

Pattison Food Group was established in 2021 as part of the Jim Pattison Group and operates nine grocery banners, specialty retail businesses, and wholesale distribution operations throughout Western Canada. The company employs nearly 30,000 people across almost 300 food and drug retail locations.

"As grocery operations become more complex and consumer expectations continue to rise, success depends on fulfillment environments that are intelligent, adaptable and built to scale," said Alexandre Guiard, Senior Vice President of Business Solutions, Americas at Dematic.

Dematic, a member of KION Group, employs more than 10,000 people globally and provides automation solutions across multiple industries.

These details were first reported by citybiz.