Waitrose today opens its first ever ‘Home of Food Lovers’ concept store in Newbury, reinforcing its mission to be the first choice for food lovers.
The 27,000sq ft Newbury store has been selected as a testing ground for new concepts. It is a key milestone in the grocer’s ongoing £1bn investment programme to enhance its existing 317 shops and open new ones. Once tested with customers, new concepts will be introduced to other shops and become part of the blueprint for new Waitrose shops.
The new look Newbury store – focusing on outstanding quality, expert service and ethically sourced products – is powered by new technology. Waitrose is investing a record £50m in tech across the Waitrose store estate to enhance the customer journey and Partner experience.
Tina Mitchell, interim managing director for Waitrose, said: “Today, is a significant move forward in our strategy to be the undisputed Home of Food Lovers. We’re deliberately investing in the joy of food – in expert cheesemongers, butchers, and fishmongers, as well as our cafés and bakeries – a strategic choice that champions the in-store experience for our customers. This vision is backed by our largest-ever tech investment, using AI and new systems to ensure a seamless customer experience, one that has our Partners and their passion for food right at its heart.”
The Newbury shop showcases strategic investments in the areas that matter most to food lovers:
Leading the way on fresh food expertise & quality
A five metre Cheese Island, a first for the estate, featuring a curated selection of nearly 100 speciality cheeses and expert advice from Partners
Expanded and modernised counters featuring a new ‘Meal Maker’ service, where Fishmongers and Butchers prepare cuts with free rubs and marinades. The area also includes a new Dry-Aged beef counter
An expanded in-store bakery featuring exclusive new partnership with premium brand Ole & Steen, which will be rolled out to 35 stores
A revitalised fruit and veg department championing sustainability, with its strongest-ever focus on organic, Fairtrade, and regeneratively-farmed produce
Further investment in training – Partners in Beers, Wines & Spirits, Bakery, Counters, and the Café have completed additional training and qualifications from renowned organisations including, the Wine & Spirit Education Trust, Guild of Fine Food and specialist suppliers including Dovecote Park and Pilgrims
Enhancing the customer experience & in-store innovation
Shoppers in Newbury will enjoy 10 new brand partnerships, spotlighting innovative and artisan producers such as Tap Social, Agua De Madre, and The Good Crisp Company
A new ‘Food Lovers Hub’ offering seasonal recipe inspiration will offer all ingredients and wine pairings conveniently grouped together
A new Delicatessen counter offers a personalised grazing box service
A new Fine & Rare wine section complete with a blast wine chiller – an innovation that cools bottles to the perfect temperature in minutes
A brand new Waite & Rose Café, representing a further investment in the store café experience for customers
Investing in Tech and first-to-market app
Electronic shelf labels which free up Partners from having to insert printed labels and brand new hand held devices used to check stock and answer customer queries are being rolled out to all shops. Most shops will also have cash automation technology
Shelf-edge cameras to help Partners spot stock gaps faster are being tested in Newbury and in six other shops
Partners at the Newbury store will be the first to trial an innovative first-to-market AI app created by Waitrose to give them up-to-date product information enabling them to provide customers with outstanding service, and communicate their knowledge and passion for food.
Responding to either text or voice requests, the app will give Partners answers on product availability and location, nutrition and sustainability, and even cooking and recipe recommendations
Nationwide shop investment programme
Waitrose is investing in every shop nationwide, from refurbishments to new openings. The £1 billion, multi-year programme is designed to offer the very best products, service and shops for customers.
In the past month, Waitrose has opened two brand new Little Waitrose shops – at The Arches, Bristol and Wandsworth New Acres – with a multitude of store transformations still to come.
The retailer has also announced a new 360,000 sq ft distribution centre in Bristol, and in 2027, Waitrose’s first new full-line supermarket for seven years will open at Brabazon, an award-winning new town in Bristol.
