B&M is close to opening a new one million sq ft warehouse with multi-temperature storage, paving the way for a rollout of frozen and chilled food.
The facility in Bedford will begin supplying stores from September, B&M confirmed to The Grocer today (1 August).
The variety discounter said previously in its full-year results in May that Heron Foods’ chilled and frozen ranges could be rolled out in B&M stores once Bedford is operational.
The proposition is similar to Iceland stores in The Range, a “strategic alliance” introduced in a handful of branches last year and expanding across the estate.
“We are planning a soft opening [of the Bedford warehouse] in September for a small number of stores for training purposes,” said a B&M spokeswoman.
“It becomes fully operational in Jan 2020.”
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Frozen and chilled ranges were launched as a trial in a handful of B&M branches last year, following the retailer’s acquisition of Heron Foods in 2017.
Giving a trading update last week, B&M CEO Simon Arora reiterated that a decision on a further rollout would follow Bedford becoming operational. He said the decision would be based on “the financial performance of each category, be that DIY, homewares, indoor furniture, versus frozen foods”.
The new facility is in Elstow, south of Bedford, next to a new 800,000 sq ft Aldi warehouse, which is also under construction.
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