UK | Waitrose has opened its first new shop in six years in Hampton Hill, London, to kick off plans to grow its convenience estate.
Waitrose opened its first store in Hampton Hill, London, six years ago and announced a further push into the convenience market by building on partnerships with Welcome Break and Shell.
The new supermarket is targeting more locations under its franchise, with stores opening on the A14 in Spaldwick, Cambridgeshire, this month and on the M1 in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, as part of a brand new Welcome Break motorway service in January.
A third location will open in 2025 with more plans if successful.
Waitrose has partnered with Welcome Break since 2009 and trades Little Waitrose from 27 of its motorway service areas. The new stores will be the first retailer to open with Welcome Break in eleven years.
Additionally, Waitrose has reached more than 100 Shell forecourt shops it supplies throughout the UK and plans to add further new locations in 2025.
The two extended partnerships come as Waitrose opens its first new shop in six years with a new convenience shop in Hampton Hill in southwest London. It will become the 47th Waitrose-operated convenience shop.
“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,” said James Bailey, Executive Director for Waitrose.
“Through new store openings and strategic partnerships, we will continue to improve our shops and reach new locations that help bring Waitrose great quality, service and value closer to more customers.”
While initially focusing on opening smaller, more typical convenience stores of 3,000 sq ft, like Hampton Hill, Waitrose has now confirmed it has been looking at opportunities for larger convenience stores around double that size.
The Hampton Hill store also signalled the role its partnerships with Deliveroo, Uber Eats and Just Eat will continue to play in reaching a wider audience as it becomes the first Waitrose convenience shop to feature a hatch to allow delivery riders to make collections more efficiently.
The hatches are being trialled with a view to them becoming a key feature of Waitrose shops. Average weekly on-demand grocery sales are currently up by 115 percent compared to last year.
“We’re delighted to open Little Waitrose at our Spaldwick services on the A14. This will be our first Little Waitrose in a forecourt environment and a fantastic addition to the local area,” said Adrian Grimes, Commercial Director for Welcome Break.
“Customers can now 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 across the Welcome Break network in the coming years.”
Welcome Break customers can choose from hundreds of Waitrose items, including the recently revamped premium range Waitrose No. 1 and Essential Waitrose—the biggest value tier of any supermarket—which doesn’t compromise on quality, taste, or animal welfare.
In addition, Waitrose Duchy Organic, fresh ready meals, free-from and vegan ranges, its lunchtime meal deal and award-winning wines, and a selection of its always highly anticipated Christmas food range and John Lewis gifts will be available.
Welcome Break is one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators, operating 59 service areas and 31 hotels across the country. With 24-hour fuel courts, EV charging, and world-class food and retail brands, it has welcomed over 85 million customers annually.
