WHSmith launches own brand café format

Retailer WHSmith has moved into own brand hospitality operations with the launch of Smith’s Kitchen, a new store format from its UK travel business.

 

The first Smith’s Kitchen officially opened today (15 August) in Princess Anne Hospital, Southampton, with a 26-seat, 495 sq ft café.

 

The café offers a selection of dine-in and takeaway choices, including coffee sourced from a local roastery, hot breakfasts and pâtisserie freshly baked in-store to NHS staff, patients and visitors.

 

Smith’s Kitchen also offers the recently launched Smith’s Family Kitchen range, comprising more than 30 products such as sandwiches, salads, baguettes and wraps. The line was developed based on feedback from over 1,000 customers.

 

Andrew Harrison, UK travel managing director, WHSmith 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.

 

“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 is the largest division in WHSmith, operating 590 stores across the UK in airports, hospitals and railway stations.

 

The Smith’s Kitchen opening is the first time WHSmith’s own brand store and food-to-go range has been brought together under one roof, with plans for the combined offer to roll out across more travel locations in the UK.

 

WHSmith’s hospital offer is one of the fastest growing areas of its UK travel business, operating over 140 stores and franchises in hospitals across the UK, with four new locations opened in the past eight weeks alone.

 

The retailer said that it sees opportunities for at least one of its formats to extend into a further 200 hospitals.

 

The company’s previous forays in the hospitality trade include creating a “hybrid” space in Heathrow’s terminal 2 with Italian coffee chain Ca’puccino, as well as hosting Costa Coffee concessions in its stores across the country.