Walgreens Grows Micro-Fulfillment Operations with New Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) is pushing forward with its investment in advanced pharmacy technology through the launch of a new micro-fulfillment center (MFC) in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) is an American multinational company that operates retail pharmacy chains along with pharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution businesses.

The company is growing the number of retail locations served by its MFCs, which rely on robotic automation to handle high volumes of prescriptions for patients managing chronic conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure. The goal is to ease the burden on pharmacy staff by cutting down on routine tasks and reducing inventory waste. This shift allows pharmacists more time for direct patient care, including services like immunizations and diagnostic testing.

The new Brooklyn Park center is set to support nearly 200 Walgreens stores across the Midwest—145 of them in Minnesota—and is expected to fill around 13 million prescriptions annually. It will also create over 175 new jobs and generate notable tax contributions at both the state and county levels.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) initially introduced these robotic fulfillment centers in 2021 but temporarily paused the rollout in 2023 to fine-tune operations and gather feedback. After implementing upgrades and developing new internal tools over the past year, the company now feels confident in restarting the expansion of this technology.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA) now operates 12 micro-fulfillment centers nationwide, which collectively support over 5,000 of its stores and handle more than 3.5 million prescription orders each week. These advanced fulfillment centers have delivered strong results. Prescription shipments from these facilities rose 24% year-over-year, with about 16 million filled monthly. At supported stores, MFCs now handle around 40% of all prescriptions, freeing up pharmacists to focus on patient care like vaccinations. In addition, a recycling initiative at these centers helped divert 3.7 million pounds of cardboard, plastic, and toner cartridges from landfills in fiscal 2024. The stock is up by over 22% in 2025 so far.

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