Waitrose launches a new course for British food retail with a record investment of £50 million in technology, part of the larger plan to 1 billion pounds aimed at renovating the chain's 317 stores and opening new ones. The project debuts with the opening of the new Newbury store, the first “Home of Food Lovers”, which will act as a real innovation laboratory to test digital solutions and new experiential formats.
The shop, of 27.000 square feet, is equipped with a AI-powered app which allows Partners (employees) to check product availability in real time, provide information on nutrition and sustainability, suggest recipes, and respond to customers via voice or text commands. At the same time, seven pilot outlets, including Newbury, will experience shelf-edge cameras to automatically monitor stock levels. The entire network will be progressively equipped with electronic labels and systems of cash automation, with the aim of freeing up time for customer support and improving operational efficiency.
The new “Home of Food Lovers” format embodies Waitrose's strategy of uniting technology and gastronomic craftsmanshipThe store offers acheese island of five meters with almost 100 selected specialties, benches "Meal Maker” where butchers and fishmongers prepare custom cuts with complimentary marinades, and arenovated in-store bakery thanks to the exclusive partnership with the premium brand Ole & Steen, which will be extended to another 35 stores. Great attention also to the staff training, with courses certified by Wine & Spirit Education Trust, From Guild of Fine Food and from specialized suppliers, and to a wider range of products organic, Fairtrade and from regenerative agriculture.
“We are deliberately investing in the joy of food – in expert cheesemakers, butchers and fishmongers, as well as in our cafes and bakeries,” he said. Tina Mitchell, interim general manager of Waitrose. “This vision is supported by our largest technology investment ever, for a seamless and engaging experience, driven by the passion of our Partners.” With this project, Waitrose reaffirms its premium vocation and experiments with a model experiential retail, where technology becomes the driving force behind a more human, informed and taste-focused service.
