Key points at a glance:

  • Ocado, a UK automated order fulfillment technology provider, announced on Monday that its CEO, Tim Steiner, will step down at the start of fiscal year 2028from his current role。
  • The company said that after a successor is appointed, Steiner will transition to a "founder" role to "reflect his unique vision and long-term commitment to Ocado."
  • Ocado disclosed this news amid waning interest in its automated order assembly technology from Kroger, which partnered with Ocado in 2018 under an agreementto build a network of robot-powered e-commerce fulfillment centers.

In-depth analysis:

Ocado's partnership with Kroger came at a high point—the latter hoped to use robotics to quickly pick online grocery orders. During the COVID-19 pandemic, investor enthusiasm for the robotics company's potential to disrupt the global grocery e-commerce landscape surged, and its share price soared.

In recent years, however, Ocado's luster has clearly faded as Kroger and other grocery retailers shifted focus away from the centralized fulfillment centers that underpin Ocado's business. A notable sign of this shift came in September 2023, when Kroger said it woulddelay building new facilities with Ocado。

while it evaluated the performance of existing sites. In November 2025, Kroger announced it wouldclose three customer fulfillment centers provided by Ocadoand instead rely more on its own supermarkets to assemble online orders. In December of that year, Kroger scrapped plans for new Ocado facilities and said it wouldpay Ocado $350 million in compensation。

related to the closures. Since Ocado's exclusivity agreement with Kroger expired at the end of last year, the companyhas held discussions with other U.S. grocersabout potential applications of its technology, including store-based automated fulfillment systems.

Ocado's share price has moved in close tandem with its business fortunes. In May 2021, its shares hit an all-time high of over 2,000 pence (equivalent to £20, or about $27) on the London Stock Exchange, but have since fallen steadily, dropping more than 20% in 2026 alone.

Ocado recordedrevenue of approximately £1.4 billion (about $1.9 billion)。

in fiscal year 2025, which ended November 30, 2025. Steiner has served as CEO since the company'sfounding in 2000. He will remain in his role until the end of fiscal year 2027, pending the completion of the succession process. Ocado expects this process to conclude before the start of fiscal year 2028.

Steiner will work with Ocado's board to identify and develop new leadership. The company noted that Steiner and the board "will ensure a smooth and orderly transition of executive responsibilities, maintaining continuity for colleagues, customers, and shareholders."

Ocado also said that after stepping down as CEO, Steiner will "continue to provide strategic guidance, deep market expertise, and support to the board, management team, and customers" until an unspecified point in 2029.

The company stated: "The board thanks Tim for his steadfast leadership and looks forward to advancing the next chapter of Ocado's development under his guidance."