UK supermarket Waitrose has today (26 November) announced the acquisition of five shops from The Co-operative Group.
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The retailer, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership, has entered into an agreement to buy four Somerfield stores in Ashbourne, Melksham, Storrington and Wellington, along with a Co-operative shop in Menai Bridge.
All existing employees will become partners within the John Lewis Partnership, the retailer said. In addition Waitrose will be recruiting up to a further 60 employees for each shop.
The five confirmed shops will take the Waitrose estate to 227 stores across the UK, and will increase its presence in regions where Waitrose is currently under represented.
Waitrose said it will open its first shop in North Wales, the second in Derbyshire, a third in Wiltshire and a sixth in West Sussex by Spring 2010.
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By GlobalDataWaitrose Director of Development, Nigel Keen, said: “It’s great to welcome employees from Somerfield and The Co-operative into the partnership and we’re looking forward to introducing more customers to our fabulous food and high standards of customer service.”
All stores will be open by spring next year, Waitrose insisted.
In December 2008, Morrisons struck a deal to buy 38 stores from The Co-operative Group for GBP223.1m (US$323.9m).
Waitrose bought 13 stores in January and Sainsbury’s followed in March with the acquisition of 24 stores for GBP83m (US$117m).
