Waitrose today unveils plans for a new travel retail partnership at Bristol Airport, building on its successful debut at Heathrow Airport in May.
The grocer is extending its wholesale partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail to open within three RELAY stores at Bristol Airport from summer 2027.
Spanning one landside and two airside sites, the stores will offer Waitrose’s food-to-go ranges, including its bestselling No. 1 range. With more than 10.8 million passengers annually, Bristol Airport is one of the UK’s fastest-growing transport hubs.
Alongside its Bristol Airport launch, Waitrose has confirmed a new branch to open on North Street in Bedminster, South Bristol. The 3,000sq ft high street convenience store is scheduled to open in early 2027.
The announcements mark the next phase of the grocer’s investment in the South West, expanding on its previously announced sites in Bristol – a supermarket in Brabazon and distribution centre in Avonmouth.
Backed by the grocer’s £1bn multi-year plan, the combined expansion will bring Waitrose closer to more customers whilst creating at least 700 new local jobs and supporting long-term regional growth.
Charlotte Di Cello, Waitrose chief commercial officer, said: “Our investment in the South West reflects our ambition to be the first choice for food lovers across the country. By partnering with Lagardère alongside investing in our own stores and online offering, we can bring our exceptional service and responsibly sourced food directly to where our customers live, work, and travel far faster than ever before.”
Progress on current Waitrose developments in Bristol
Today’s news builds on two major regional projects already underway.
Plans remain on track for Waitrose’s flagship 30,000 sq ft full-line supermarket in Brabazon (North Bristol). The shop is planned to open in 2028, creating 150 local jobs.
To support its expanding regional presence, construction is underway on Waitrose’s first regional distribution centre in the South West.
Located in Avonmouth, the 360,000 sq ft facility – developed in partnership with DHL Supply Chain and McLaren Construction – is scheduled to open in early 2027, creating more than 550 local jobs.
Built to supply over 50 regional stores and unlock future growth, the site will enable Waitrose to reach customers across the region faster, maintaining market-leading product availability while reducing transport emissions.
As Waitrose’s most sustainable distribution hub to date, the facility incorporates advanced environmental building standards alongside cutting-edge technology, including climate-controlled storage as well as AI forecasting and autonomous warehouse vehicles to automate routine tasks and improve efficiency.
Andy Perry, Waitrose supply chain director, said: “Our new Avonmouth distribution centre represents a significant milestone in expanding and modernising our logistics network.
“Through our collaboration with McLaren Construction and DHL, we look forward to opening a state-of-the-art, sustainable facility that strengthens our supply chain and supports our ongoing commitment to our shops and our customers in the south west.”
