kdfgjksgklsdgHistory[edit]
Founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor, Waitrose began as a small grocery store, Waite, Rose & Taylor, in Acton, West London.[12] In 1908, two years after David Taylor had left the business, the name "Waitrose", from the remaining founders' names, was adopted. In 1937, the company, consisting of ten stores and 160 employees, was taken over by the John Lewis Partnership.[12] Typical Waitrose branch in BarryWaitrose branch in Cheadle Hulme, built in 2007 was Waitrose's first purpose-built retail outlet in Northern EnglandA Waitrose in Marlborough High StreetA Waitrose in WallingfordA Waitrose petrol station in LincolnA Waitrose 'Community Matters' charity token |
In 1955, the chain opened its first supermarket in Streatham, London and continued to expand throughout London and the South East of England during the 1960s. In the 1970s, Waitrose opened branches in Hampshire, Bedfordshire, Essex and Cambridgeshire.
In 1981, counter service was introduced for fresh meat, fish and cheese, and in 1983, Waitrose became the first major supermarket chain to sell organic food.
Since 2000, Waitrose has continued its expansion, including purchasing stores from Somerfield,[13] Morrisons,[14] Woolworths,[15] The Co-operative Group and Sandpiper CI, a move which saw the chain move into northern England and Scotland for the first time.
The firm signed a deal with Alliance Boots which will see Boots operating branded pharmacies in some stores; in return Boots stores will sell Waitrose food products.[16] The partnership between the companies ended in 2012 having been deemed unsuccessful, which led to Boots replacing Waitrose products with items sourced from Irish retailer Musgrave's SuperValu chain.[17]
In September 2009, Duchy Originals, the struggling organic food business started by Prince Charles was rescued by Waitrose,