Sainsbury's has opened up a new 250,000 sq ft distribution centre as it plans to grow its convenience offering in the south of England.
The £30 million Thameside Distribution Centre, based in south-east London, will support over 200 convenience stores in areas including London and Brighton. The big-four supermarket plans to open 50 new convenience stores, creating 500 new jobs, in the areas of London and the south east by the end of 2014.
The new distribution centre, which will be jointly operated by supply chain solutions specialist Wincanton, was opened for business by deputy prime minister Nick Clegg last week. Adhering to Sainsbury's sustainability targets, all of the centre's waste will be recycled or turned into fuel.
'As well as the hundreds of jobs this depot creates, this distribution centre supports the expansion of Sainsbury’s across the rest of the capital, and the south east – securing greater opportunities for people across the area,' said Clegg.
With sales of £1.5 billion and year-on-year growth of over 17 per cent,Sainsbury's Local stores now account for nearly a third of the UK's convenience market growth.
Crowned 'Convenience Retailer of The Year' at last year's Retail Industry Awards, Sainsbury's already has over 540 convenience stores nationwide, with plans to open two new stores every week.
John Rogers, Sainsbury’schief financial officer, says that the convenience market remains integral to the retailer's future plans.
He said: 'Customers tell us that they like to shop little and often to save money and reduce food waste. Our convenience store business is meeting these trends and the team here at Thameside are perfectly placed to support the growth of our stores.'
