Dive Brief:
- Ocado CEO Tim Steiner will leave his position at the U.K.-based automated order-fulfillment technology provider at the start of the 2028 fiscal year, the company announced Monday.
- Steiner will move into a “founder” role, “reflecting his unique perspective and longstanding commitment to Ocado” following the appointment of his replacement, the company said.
- Ocado’s disclosure comes as the company deals with diminished interest in its automated order-assembly technology from Kroger, which struck an agreement with Ocado in 2018 to build a network of robotic e-commerce fulfillment centers.
Dive Insight:
Ocado was riding high when it joined forces with Kroger to help the grocery company use robots to rapidly put together digital grocery orders, and investor excitement about the robotics company’s potential to revolutionize grocery e-commerce around the world exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In recent years, however, Ocado’s star has lost much of its luster as Kroger and other grocers have turned their focus away from the centralized fulfillment centers that underpin Ocado’s business. In a reflection of that shift, Kroger said in September 2023 that it would delay building new facilities with Ocado as it evaluated the performance of its existing ones.
In November 2025, Kroger said it would close three of the customer fulfillment centers Ocado furnished as it relies more heavily on its supermarkets to put online orders together. That December, Kroger canceled plans for a new Ocado site and said it would pay Ocado $350 million in compensation because of the closures.
Since Ocado’s exclusive agreement with Kroger ended at the end of last year, the firm has been in discussion with other U.S. grocers about using its technology, including its automated store-based fulfillment system.
Ocado’s stock price has tracked its fortunes. After hitting a record high of more than 2,000 pence, which is equivalent to 20 British pounds ($27), on the London Stock Exchange in May 2021, the value of the company’s shares has declined precipitously, losing more than 20% in 2026 alone.
Ocado posted revenue of about 1.4 billion pounds ($1.9 billion) in its 2025 fiscal year, which ended on Nov. 30, 2025.
Steiner, who has served as CEO since the company’s establishment in 2000, will remain as CEO through its 2027 fiscal year and until the succession process wraps up, which Ocado said it expects will happen by the start of its 2028 fiscal year.
Steiner will work with Ocado’s board to identify and prepare the company’s new leadership. The company noted Steiner and the board “will ensure a smooth and orderly transition of executive responsibilities, maintaining continuity for colleagues, clients and shareholders.”
After he leaves the CEO role, Steiner will “continue to provide strategic guidance, deep market expertise and support to the Board, management team and customers” through an unspecified point in 2029, Ocado noted.
“The Board is grateful for Tim's continued leadership and looks forward to working alongside him throughout this next chapter of Ocado's development,” the company said.
