Go-Go Grocery

Ohio Northern University and Kroger have partnered to bring Ohio’s first Kroger Shop24 robotic kiosk to the campus of ONU. This store will provide the community with a new option to shop for food and household goods.
    
The Kroger Shop24 kiosk is a self-contained, refrigerated, robotic vending machine designed to enable 24-hour consumer purchasing. Originally operated in Europe and the east coast of the United States, the kiosk concept brings an innovative idea to convenience by dispensing a variety of practical, everyday items.

The Shop24 Kiosk is located in the Lakeview Apartments parking lot.

“We are happy to work with Kroger to bring this type of technology to the ONU campus,” said Daniel A. DiBiasio, president of Ohio Northern. “The University is always seeking to introduce new concepts and technology to our students, and this also provides another convenient option for our students.”

At more than 9 feet tall, the machine offers up to 200 traditional convenience-store items ranging in weight from less than 1 ounce to 8 pounds.

“Kroger is very excited about the opportunity to partner with Ohio Northern University and Shop24,” said Bruce Macaulay, president of Kroger’s Columbus Division. “Our goal is to provide easy access to wholesome foods for both students and members of the community.”

The kiosk will contain some toiletries and a wide variety of foods, including organic yogurt, whole grain bread, milk, cereal and fruit. Frozen meals and traditional vending machine items like potato chips and candy bars also will be available to shoppers.

“It’s great for a student on the go to have some healthier options, like a banana or sandwich, in such a convenient location,” said Macaulay.

The price of the items will be competitive, reflecting traditional Kroger store prices to provide the best value for shoppers. It will be maintained and stocked by associates from the Kenton, Ohio, Kroger store.

Open 24 hours a day, Kroger Shop24 accepts several different payment methods, including cash, credit cards, debit cards and supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP) cards. In addition to this new kiosk on ONU’s campus, there are three Shop24 locations in New York and one in California.

Kroger, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of the nation’s largest grocery retailers. The Kroger Co. spans many states with store formats that include grocery and multi-department stores, convenience stores, and mall jewelry stores. They operate under nearly two dozen banners, all of which share the same belief in building strong local ties and brand loyalty with its customers.