Waitrose is ramping up investment in its store portfolio with plans to open up to 100 convenience sites across the UK over the next five years. The announcement comes as the group unveils its latest vision for what its shops could look like for customers in the future.
The John Barnes store in Finchley Road, London, will test new concepts as part of Waitrose’s investment programme, which will see a record £1bn injected into the business over the next three years into new premises and improvements to 150 existing ones - almost half the estate.
The transformation of the Finchley Road store will mark the next evolution of Waitrose’s proposition, which will be used to trial new services, product offerings and concept upgrades over the next year, before a new blueprint for Waitrose shops is revealed in 2025. The investment will include upgrading dedicated food counters, a greater focus on wine, boosting local sourcing, more third party collaborations, such as the recently announced one with Crosstown Doughnuts, and more space allotted for on demand collections.
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 in the new year. Executive director James Bailey, 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.”
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