Waitrose has opened its first new convenience shop in six years as it looks to expand its estate and builds on partnerships with Welcome Break and Shell.
The new Little Waitrose store in Hampton Hill, southwest London, is the supermarket’s 47th Waitrose-operated convenience shop.
This move comes as the upmarket retailer looks to expand its footprint through its franchise with Welcome Break, with stores opening in Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire this month and in Rotherham, South Yorkshire in January.
A third location is scheduled for 2025, with more to follow if successful.
While the business will focus on opening smaller, 3,000sq ft convenience stores, it is also exploring opportunities for larger sites, potentially up to 6,000sq ft.
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The Hampton Hill site will be the first Waitrose convenience store to feature a hatch to allow delivery riders to make collections more easily, highlighting the role its tie-ups with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat will continue to play.
Waitrose executive director James Bailey said: “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.
“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.”
Welcome Break commercial director Adrian Grimes added: “Customers will now be able to stop off on their journey and select from a great range of quality Waitrose products. Our partnership has been incredibly prosperous and we look forward to opening more Little Waitrose stores in the coming years across the Welcome Break network.”
Additionally, Waitrose has now reached more than 100 Shell forecourt shops it supplies throughout the UK, with plans to add further new locations in 2025.
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