Walmart Expands Network of Automated, Centralized Prescription Fulfillment Facilities

Walmart said Thursday (May 22) that it opened its largest centralized prescription fulfillment facility and plans to add two more.

The new Central Fill pharmacy location is in Frederick, Maryland, and two other facilities are expected to open in 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, and Republic, Missouri, the company said in a Thursday press release.

The Maryland site is 102,000 square feet in size and will support more than 700 Walmart pharmacies in 16 states and Washington, D.C., by fulfilling up to 100,000 prescriptions per day, according to the release.

Walmart’s Central Fill pharmacy locations use automation to streamline every step of prescription fulfillment, the release said. Dynamic weighting systems, robotic carriers and a conveyance system help automate pill counting, labeling, capping and sorting.

With the centralized facilities handling these tasks, pharmacists in Walmart stores can devote more time to clinical services, the release said. One study found that central fill operations enable a 30% increase in time pharmacists can spend with patients.

“This facility represents the next chapter in how we care for our customers,” Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart, said in the release. “With greater efficiency behind the scenes, our pharmacists can spend more time in front of patients — offering expert guidance, building trust and delivering better health outcomes.”

Walmart aims to have its Central Fill network cover nearly 90% of all the retailer’s pharmacies by the end of 2026, per the release.

The retailer has been concentrating on expanding its health and wellness offerings, PYMNTS reported in January. For example, since 2014, its Wellness Days have provided more than 5 million free screenings, particularly benefiting rural and underserved communities where medical access is limited.

When Walmart opened its first new-construction “Store of the Future” in the U.S. in April, the company said this concept includes enhanced pharmacies that feature wider aisles, a new private screening room and privacy checkout areas.

In October, the retailer began rolling out same-day delivery of prescription medications, saying it launched this offering in six states and plans to expand it to 49 states by the end of 2025.