US retailer Walgreens has opened a new micro-fulfilment centre (MFC) in Brooklyn Park in the US state of Minnesota, to support prescription dispensing and shipping.
The facility will improve prescription processing, while minimising pharmacists’ administrative duties. It is projected to handle 13 million prescriptions annually.
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The Brooklyn Park MFC will serve 200 Walgreens locations throughout the Midwest, of which 145 are in Minnesota.
It will create 175 jobs and contribute substantial payroll and property tax revenues to the state and local county.
Walgreens chief pharmacy officer Rick Gates stated: “Walgreens’ investment in micro-fulfilment centres is another strategic step toward a brighter future for community pharmacy. Research shows that Americans want more health services at their local pharmacy, and micro-fulfilment centres help us meet those needs by allowing our pharmacists to do what they do best: spend more time with patients.”
Micro-fulfilment centres use robotic technology within a centralised pharmacy setting to enhance the efficiency of dispensing and distribution to Walgreens’ stores nationwide.
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By GlobalDataWith a network of 12 MFCs, Walgreens now supports 5,000 stores dispensing upwards of 3.5 million prescriptions on a weekly basis.
These high-tech facilities have increased year-on-year shipped volumes from MFCs by 24%, with an average of 16 million prescriptions filled monthly.
They manage 40% of total prescription volume by MFCs for stores using these facilities.
The establishment of a recycling initiative across MFCs resulted in the recycling of 3.7 million pounds of materials such as cardboard, plastic and toner cartridges during the fiscal year 2024.
Walgreens pharmacy operating model vice-president Kayla Heffington stated: “Our pharmacists working in locations supported by our micro-fulfilment sites are spending less time filling prescriptions and more time on patient care, like providing medication adherence support or administering vaccines – all of which help strengthen the health of our communities and provide a better overall patient experience.”
In April 2025, Walgreens consented to a $300m settlement of claims by US prosecutors that it unlawfully processed millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances.
