The John Lewis Partnership is expanding its tie-up with Caffè Nero, with the launch of a new café format.
Five new café concessions have opened in Waitrose stores over the last couple of weeks. The format offers range of the supermarket’s food along with coffee “roasted specially for Waitrose” by the Nero Group.
A 1,500 sq ft Caffè Nero has also opened in a John Lewis store for the first time, at White City in London.
The addition of new café format is the first major expansion of the partnership since Caffè Nero began supplying Waitrose’s in-store coffee points in 2021. Waitrose also stocks a range of Nero’s at-home coffee pods and coffee beans as part of the tie-up.
Waitrose’s stores in Billericay, Godalming, Keynsham, Locks Heath and Stroud are the first five that will offer the new café format. Waitrose commercial director Charlotte Di Cello hinted it would be rolled out further.
“We’re excited to build on our successful partnership with the Nero Group with the launch of our new cafés,” Di Cello said. “The initial tranche of five cafés will offer the best of Waitrose food together with coffee from The Nero Roasting Company, in a welcoming environment, served by our brilliant Waitrose partners.
“Our stores are hubs for local communities across the country and we know our customers love to have the option of enjoying a coffee, snack or meal after their shop.”
It is the latest expansion of Waitrose’s hospitality offer, following the launch of a standalone Gail’s Bakery counter, which opened at its Canary Wharf store in June. Waitrose also has a network of company-run Waite & Rose cafés, alongside free coffee stations in its stores for MyWaitrose members.
“Our partnership with Waitrose continues to build and we’ve been delighted with the close working relationship we have grown,” said Caffè Nero UK CEO Will Stratton-Morris.
“We have always seen the potential to deepen that relationship further and the launch of the new cafés in Waitrose is a key step in that process, as is widening the scope of our relationship with our first Caffè Nero store within a John Lewis store.
“I’m excited that customers can enjoy the hospitality and premium coffee of a Caffè Nero within the unique shopping experience of John Lewis. It’s a perfect pairing and there is still so much scope for our partnership to continue to grow.”
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