Supermarket chain Waitrose has announced plans to open 100 convenience stores up to 2029 in a £1bn ($1.3bn) investment in new outlets and refurbishments.  

The expansion initiative will commence with the unveiling of a revamped outlet in Finchley Road, North London, on 21 August 2024, followed by the launch of a new store in Hampton Hill, West London, by the end of the year.  

This will be the first new store opening in six years for the upmarket grocery chain. 

Waitrose executive director James Bailey outlined the company's five-year plan, which includes opening up to four large supermarkets in addition to the Little Waitrose shops.  

Some of these new stores may involve relocations from existing sites.  

For older stores, the refurbishment will enhance features such as service counters and an expanded fresh food selection. 

James Bailey was quoted by the Guardian: “The transformation of our Finchley Road store marks the next evolution of our journey to create a great shopping experience for our customers, underpinned by a high-quality product offering tailored to the local area, and the quality service we are synonymous with. 

“In designing the store, we have taken time to understand how our customers like to shop, and used this knowledge to introduce new concepts that will be tested and rolled out nationally as we continue to work towards the Waitrose of the future.” 

The first of the new stores is set to open in Hampton Hill, subject to planning approval, with another to follow in Greater London early in 2025. 

Waitrose currently operates 329 stores and has an online presence, as reported by Reuters. 

In May 2024, the retailer revealed plans to open the first in-store GAIL’s bakery at its Canary Wharf store.  

John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose's parent company, announced the appointment of Jason Tarry, a Tesco veteran, who will take over as chairman, replacing Sharon White in September 2024.