Waitrose has reopened in the convenience store market with its first new store in six years, signaling an ambitious growth plan.
- The new store in Hampton Hill, London, includes a hatch for easy delivery rider pickups, enhancing partnerships with Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat.
- Plans are underway for more small and larger format stores, with expansion into Welcome Break and Shell locations also on the horizon.
- This resurgence includes new locations with Welcome Break after eleven years, and a growing presence in Shell forecourt locations, already surpassing 100 sites.
- James Bailey of Waitrose highlights the shift in customer demands for quality food in convenient locations, reflecting the current market trends.
Waitrose has made a significant return to the convenience store market with its first new shop in six years located in Hampton Hill, south west London. This new store marks the retailer’s 47th convenience outlet, designed for enhanced collaboration with key delivery services such as Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat through its innovative hatch feature. This allows delivery riders to make easy pickups, marking a forward-thinking approach to retail distribution.
As part of its growth strategy, Waitrose is set to open additional smaller format stores similar to the Hampton Hill location, as well as exploring larger sites nearly double the size. This expansion is in line with the company’s strategic partnerships aimed at addressing evolving consumer expectations regarding convenience and quality in retail.
The return to working with Welcome Break is noteworthy, representing the first new store openings with the operator in over a decade. This month, new locations are opening on the A14 in Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire, with another set for the M1 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire. A third location is slated for 2025, and more may follow if these are successful. Welcome Break Commercial Director Adrian Grimes expressed optimism about this renewed partnership, highlighting the benefit of offering quality Waitrose products to travelers on the go.
Additionally, Waitrose is actively increasing its presence in Shell forecourt locations, having exceeded 100 outlets across the UK. More expansions are planned for 2025, reinforcing the brand’s commitment to making quality goods accessible at various touchpoints. This strategy is encapsulated by Waitrose executive James Bailey’s statement highlighting the outdated stereotypes of forecourt food and the modern consumer demand for high-quality options anywhere, including service stations.
The collective efforts in expanding through these partnerships reflect a broader company vision to adapt to and capitalize on the shifting landscape of consumer preferences, emphasizing accessibility without compromising the brand’s core values of quality and service.
Waitrose’s strategic moves into smaller and larger convenience store formats highlight their commitment to meeting contemporary consumer demands for quality and accessibility.
