Waitrose to branch out with new stores

Waitrose set it sights on a bigger slice of the convenience market today as it unveiled plans for new stores and stronger ties with Boots and Welcome Break.

The West Midlands was revealed as one of the test bed areas for a new link-up between the major retailers. Pharmacies in Waitrose supermarkets in Wolverhampton and Lichfield will be rebranded as Boots, and Boots stores across the region culd soon also be stocked with selected Waitrose food.

Waitrose has been buoyed by successful trials in Nottingham and Bristol.

It will launch two shops in north London and Oxted, in Surrey, before the trial of some smaller convenience shops in the new year in other areas of the country.

Waitrose believes there is the potential for 300 convenience outlets over the whole country.

A franchise partnership with Welcome Break, which has seen the opening of Waitrose shops at service stations on the M40 near Oxford and the A1-M25 at South Mimms, in Hertfordshire, will also be extended to a further nine Welcome Break sites over the coming months.

The first three outlets are planned for November.

Waitrose said today's developments would help some of the potential 6.5 million customers who are unable to access one of its stores easily.

Managing director Mark Price said: "By opening up these new channels and formats, we'll be making Waitrose accessible to more customers in more places and we'll be able to create thousands of new jobs."

Last week, the supermarket chain, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership, reported a 7.4 per cent rise in sales and operating profits increasing by 18.7 per cent.

It has also broadened the appeal of the Waitrose brand with the roll-out of Essential ranges, which have brought new customers into the stores attracted by the cheaper prices.

Waitrose also has an exclusive deal to sell Duchy Originals products, which saw Prince Charles visit a store earlier this month.