Supermarket chain Waitrose is set to enter airport travel retail for the first time, through a wholesale deal with Lagardère Travel Retail at Heathrow Airport in London, UK.
From next month, Waitrose products will be introduced in four RELAY stores in Terminal 2 (T2).
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The rollout covers three airside outlets and one landside location, with all four stores due to be operating by the end of this year.
The range will focus on food-to-go aimed at passengers and will include items from the retailer’s No. 1 line.
Waitrose chief commercial officer Charlotte Di Cello said: “Launching at Heathrow marks our first move into airport retail and an important step in growing our brand by bringing our offer to more customers in high-traffic locations.
“In partnership with Lagardère Travel Retail and RELAY, our food-to-go offer will launch in four stores in Terminal 2 by the end of the year, building on the progress we are already making in travel retail, alongside continued investment in our own shops and online offer.”
In a press statement, the company noted that T2 handles 20 million passengers a year.
Waitrose said the partnership supports its plans to grow through additional channels while continuing to invest in its shop network and online business.
Lagardère Travel Retail UK and Ireland commercial director Nicholas Dunne said: “This partnership with Waitrose marks a significant step in our ambition to elevate the food-to-go experience within our blended Travel Essentials offer.”
Separately, the retailer recently outlined plans to expand its UK physical footprint through new openings, a larger franchise estate and a programme of refurbishments, backed by a multi-year £1bn ($1.35bn) investment plan.
As part of that wider push, Waitrose said it will open a 3,000ft² Little Waitrose convenience store on Ascot High Street in late 2026, creating 20 jobs.
