Significant milestone for Co-op Wholesale with the launch of first Roadchef store

Co-op Wholesale and Roadchef have officially begun a nationwide store rollout, following the announcement of their strategic partnership in April.

The first of eight new convenience stores opened yesterday, Thursday 5th June, at Roadchef Norton Canes, and is the first step in a phased launch of former Spar-branded sites being transformed into modern convenience destinations.

This new store also marks the public unveiling of the ‘Norton Canes & Co-op’ partnership – Co-op Wholesale’s newest fascia identity, which represents a co-created retail partnership for select partners to further leverage the iconic Co-op brand.

Sitting alongside the already existing and ever-popular Nisa fascia options and ‘Proud to stock Co-op’, ‘& Co-op’ aims to promote the core convenience missions that Co-op is famous for, whilst enabling retailers to stand out on the competitive high street and will launch fully to the market later in 2025.

This landmark collaboration between Co-op and Roadchef brings Co-op’s award-winning own-brand range to motorway service areas, with a strong emphasis on customer experience, value, and convenience – carefully tailored to meet the needs of high-footfall motorway service locations.

The new Norton Canes Roadchef store will feature an extensive range of Co-op’s quality and award-winning Co-op own brand range, including food to go and food for later products, such as Co-op Irresistible Pizzas and ready meals, designed to meet the needs of on-the-go customers. The store will also be serving up much-loved bakery products, with the full in store bakery range being available from the summer. The store will also boast self-checkouts and digital innovations to ensure a quick and seamless shopping experience.

Katie Secretan, managing director for Co-op Wholesale, said: “This is a pivotal moment in our journey as Co-op Wholesale and I’m so proud to see & Co-op in Roadchef locations. This is more than just a supply agreement- it marks the start of a long-term partnership. Through this collaboration, Roadchef can harness the strength of our iconic Co-op brand, to deliver a truly compelling convenience offer to millions of travellers across the UK, allowing them to shoulder with the other big names on the motorway.

“Through our flexible model we’ve been able to create a unique offer that meets the needs of their customers. Together we’ll continue to evolve our range and formats to suit each location, drawing on our shared expertise. By leveraging insight-led recommendations and our category leadership in ‘food for now’ and ‘food for later’ missions, we’re committed to optimising the performance and relevance of every store.”

Tim Gittins, chief executive officer of Roadchef, added: “Our customers expect choice, value, and convenience when they stop at our service areas, and our partnership with Co-op Wholesale helps us deliver just that. The & Co-op proposition is a perfect fit for our sites and aligns with our ambition to elevate the retail experience across our estate.”

The ‘& Co-op’ concept is currently being trialled with Highland Group, a long-standing partner of the business, and both retailer and shopper analysis will be used to shape the proposition further.