Waitrose to open 100 convenience stores amid £1bn investment

Waitrose has announced plans to open up to 100 convenience shops across the country over the next five years, just as the retailer has unveiled its latest vision for what its shops “could look like for customers in the future”. It comes as Waitrose plans to invest a “record” £1bn over the next three years into new stores and improvements to 150 existing shops – which makes up half of its estate. According to the retailer, adding more convenience stores to its estate will help it reach more customers, having already served a record 15 million last year. The group’s John Barnes shop in Finchley Road, London, will see that new concepts are tested as part of its store investment programme. The transformation of the Finchley Road store will build on the revamp of its Sudbury shop, Suffolk, last year. These stores, along with the makeover of the Maidenhead shop that is due in the autumn, will be used to trial new services, product offerings and concept upgrades over the next 12 months before a new blueprint for Waitrose shops is revealed in 2025. This investment in its store portfolio will focus on upgrading service counters; giving greater prominence to Waitrose’s “award-winning” wine selection; more flexibility to its ability to respond to local demand; offering more third party collaboration; and more dedicated space for on-demand grocery orders. In addition, the first new Waitrose store in six years will open in Hampton Hill later this year, subject to planning approval, with a second following in Greater London which will open early in the new year. James Bailey, executive director for Waitrose, said: “Waitrose will always offer fantastic food, but the groundwork we have undertaken behind the scenes in recent years means we can now focus on growth through new shops and ensuring our existing ones are providing great shopping experiences that match the quality of our products.” Nish Kankiwala, CEO of the John Lewis Partnership, added: “Our investment in our Waitrose store portfolio is already yielding strong results, with customers responding positively. As our retail driven plan continues to gain traction, our growing number of shoppers and increasing customer satisfaction scores are clear indicators of its success.”