Waitrose to separate from Ocado, launches nationwide growth marketing campaign
Waitrose chefs and product developers will launch or develop more than 5,000 private label products this year
Waitrose, a UK supermarket brand, has launched a national online rollout program that has added Waitrose.com online delivery service to 24 stores across the country. The stores are strategically placed to meet the growing demand for the retailer's online shopping service and to prepare for its separation from Ocado, even an online supermarket.
As of September 1st, Ocado will lose the right to sell Waitrose products, so the brand's food and drink will only be available online on its own website.
The Hailsham shop is the first of 24 to receive Waitrose.com service for the first time in the coming months. The retailer's 150 stores currently cover deliveries across the country, with 84 percent of active UK postcodes able to order Waitrose.com purchases.
In addition to the new 24 shops, intensive work is currently being done on the current online shops in order to further increase their ordering capacity. In the coming months, a new customer fulfillment center is to be opened in Enfield in order to respond to the increasing demand in the capital.
“September is the biggest growth opportunity for our company and we are investing a lot to achieve it. We don't start from scratch – Waitrose.com is growing significantly ahead of the market, delivering to tens of thousands of customers every week, in addition to the millions who visit our stores, ”said Ben Stimson, digital director.
“We have solid plans to expand our reach before September. Considerable investments in our infrastructure, website and service are planned for the coming months. We create more delivery spaces and employ a fleet of new drivers. Adding online features to these 24 more of our stores will allow us to do even more of the country – we already deliver to 84 percent of UK postcodes, and that number is growing.
“Our teams at headquarters work across our website and apps to make our service better, faster and more convenient. And our cooks and product developers will launch or develop more than 5000 of our own branded products this year.
"We are well prepared for the surge in demand and capacity has already been tested with our busiest online ordering week – the week before Christmas in 2019."
