Waitrose has kicked off its store expansion programme, opening its first new store for six years.
The new Little Waitrose, which opened in Hampton Hill London on 28 November, is the first of ambitious proposals to open 100 new stores over the next five years, announced by Waitrose earlier this year.
Alongside the opening, Waitrose has also announced new plans to expand its franchise partnerships with Shell and Welcome Break, to open more stores in petrol forecourts and service stations.
The 3,000 ft Hampton Hill store represents Waitrose’s latest vision for its convenience stores. The offer heavily focuses on food to go, bakery lines and dinner for tonight meals, alongside a standard selection of fresh, chilled and ambient groceries from Waitrose own label lines.
Waitrose has been ramping up its rapid-delivery partnerships, with the likes of Uber Eats, Deliveroo and most recently Just Eat. As such, Hampton Hill is the first new store to be fitted with a new rapid-delivery hatch format. The trial fixture – which was first unveiled at Waitrose’s revamped John Barnes store in August – allows delivery riders to collect orders without having to enter the store.
Free coffee is also available for MyWaitrose members at the store. However, it does not offer them the option of a free disposable cup, which were recently brought back in some stores as a trial.
As it continues with its store rollout, Waitrose would initially focus on locations a similar size to Hampton Hill. However, it is also “looking at opportunities for larger convenience stores” up to “double” the size, the supermarket said.
Hampton Hill comes alongside two new franchise stores in Welcome Break service stations.
The new concessions – at Spaldwick in Cambridgeshire, and on the M1 in Rotherham, Yorkshire – are Waitrose’s first new stores with Welcome Break for 11 years. They will be followed by a third location in 2025, with more planned, Waitrose said.
The supermarket currently operates 27 stores with Welcome Break, alongside a further 100 sites with Shell. More Shell sites will open in 2025.
“The long-associated stereotypes of food at forecourts and service stations are becoming a thing of the past – expectation has moved on and customers are rightfully demanding more,” said Waitrose executive director James Bailey.
“They want great-tasting, quality food no matter where they are. Through new store openings and strategic partnerships, we will continue to evolve our shops to get better and better, whilst reaching new locations that help bring Waitrose great quality, service and value closer to more customers.”
Read more: Why Waitrose is turning its focus to convenience again
Waitrose also has supply agreements with Dobbie’s Garden centres, as well as independent retailers Alliance Stores in the Channel Island and Margiotta in Scotland.
“We’re delighted to be opening Little Waitrose at our Spaldwick services on the A14,” said Adrian Grimes, commercial director for Welcome Break.
“This will be our first Little Waitrose in a forecourt environment and a fantastic addition to the local area. Customers will now be able to stop off on their journey and select from a great range of quality Waitrose products.
“Our partnership with Waitrose has been incredibly prosperous and we look forward to opening more Little Waitrose stores in the coming years across the Welcome Break network,” Grimes added.
Following its return to profit in March, The John Lewis Partnership aims to plough £1bn into Waitrose, and John Lewis stores and supply chain over the next four years. Alongside the new convenience openings Waitrose aims to renovate around 80 of its existing supermarkets. Maidenhead, its most recent, reopened earlier this month after an extensive renovation.
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