Ocado struggles with US expansion: new action plan

British online grocery specialist Ocado is seeing its ambitious plans for the U.S. market falter. After two key partners—U.S. supermarket chain Kroger and Canadian retailer Sobeys— pulled out, the company is under pressure to find new partnerships.

Seeking trust

Ocado, which specializes in advanced automation solutions for food distribution centers, seemed like a natural fit for the U.S. market. Yet so far, the company has run into a wall of skepticism. “The demand for our technology is certainly there, but partners also have to actually be willing to invest in it,” said Tim Steiner, CEO and co-founder of Ocado, during the quarterly update.