Global traveller retailer WHSmith has introduced its first own-brand café format, Smith’s Kitchen, at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, UK.
The 495ft² café, featuring 26 seats, marks the company’s foray into own-brand café formats, expanding its food and drink offerings for customers and partners.
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The café, designed for hospital customers including NHS staff, patients, and visitors, offers a menu with locally-sourced coffee and hot breakfast options, such as patisserie items baked in-store.
Smith’s Kitchen also presents the Smith’s Family Kitchen food range, which includes more than 30 products from sandwiches to salads, baguettes, and wraps.
WHSmith UK travel managing director Andrew Harrison said: “Whether it’s in a hospital or on their journeys, customers tell us that quality food and drink options are what they prioritise most in the different locations we serve.
“That’s why we have been doubling down on our food ranges and formats to ensure our customers don’t need to compromise on quality or value, as demonstrated today with the launch of Smith’s Kitchen.
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By GlobalData“With the opening of our first ever own-brand café coming hot on the heels of our newly launched own-brand food range, this shows the pace of innovation across our business and commitment to delivering quality experiences and products at WHSmith for our customers and partners.”
UK Travel, WHSmith’s largest division, operates 590 stores across the UK in airports, hospitals, and railway stations.
Smith’s Kitchen’s launch aligns with the retailer’s strategy to meet customer demand for food to go and meal deals.
The Smith’s Kitchen in Princess Anne Hospital represents the first instance of WHSmith combining its own-brand store and food to go range under one roof.
The company plans to extend this combined offer to more travel locations in the UK soon.
In May this year, WHSmith announced the expansion of its partnership with Toys R Us, revealing the locations of the first 17 new shop-in-shops set to open within its stores nationwide.
