Waitrose is to open a 110,000 sq ft fulfilment centre in Enfield. The retailer wants to treble its online business to £1 billion within three years.
Separately, Waitrose has signed a deal with Today Development Partners to build three customer fulfilment centres. It has also created a new role of digital director with Ben Stimson moving over from his existing role of retail director to drive online growth.
The Enfield facility, which is on a five acre site, is due to open next spring. The retailer said it would use “state-of-the-art” technology.
Currently, many of Waitrose online orders are picked and packed in the local stores and it can currently serve 81 per cent of UK postcodes. It said the combination of a dedicated centre working alongside shops had already proved a success in South London with a centre in Coulsdon, opened in 2015.
Sales through Waitrose.com in the full year 2018-9 were up 14 per cent on the year before. Digital director Ben Stimson said: “Waitrose.com growth is rapid and we know there are many more new customers who would like to buy our products from us online. This centre is the latest in an exciting raft of investments and will ensure they have a really convenient, easy way to do so.”
