Marks & Spencer rolls out Simply Food franchise
SSP to run 40 railway station stores
October 18 2002
Marks & Spencer and retail catering specialist Select Service Partner will open up to 40 franchised M&S Simply Food stores at UK railway station over the next three years.
The roll out follows the success of a Simply Food trial at Liverpool Street, Victoria and Marylebone stations in London, where SSP, part of food service company Compass Group, operates the stores on franchises. M&S also has five Simply Food store in town centre locations around London which are company-run.
The railway format was developed using SSP’s experience of station catering, and M&S store experience and food range, targeting commuters with prepared foods and ready meals. The UK’s top 14 railway stations are used by 650 m passengers a year.
The first stores under the new agreement will open at Euston, London, in November and Brighton in January.
Justin King, Marks & Spencer’s Food Director, said: “The Simply Food format was created to take our quality food offering to innovative and more convenient locations for our customers. Many major railway stations are now attractive city centre shopping destinations for commuters.
“The trial has been invaluable in allowing us to develop the right product range and to understand the shopping needs of commuters. This, coupled with learnings from our stand alone Simply Food stores, has confirmed our belief that our partnership with SSP is a real area of opportunity.”
Don Davenport, chief executive officer of Compass Group UK & Ireland, comments: “The extension of the franchise agreement with Marks & Spencer enables us to offer one of the best known High Street names in food retailing to deliver the widest choice of convenience food service for rail commuters. We are delighted that the trial stores have demonstrated the potential of developing new markets for Marks & Spencer through its partnership with SSP, drawing on the expertise of both companies.”
