Following the success of the Simply Food store trial at three railway stations, Marks & Spencer and specialist retail catering company Select Service Partner (SSP) - part of the world's largest food service company, Compass Group - have agreed to extend their first UK franchise programme up to a further 40 railway station locations over the next three years.
Simply Food franchise stores are currently located at Liverpool Street, Victoria and Marylebone stations. The new railway format was developed using the joint skills of SSP, a retail food service provider with unparalleled experience on stations, and Marks & Spencer's innovative store experience and quality food produce. The first stores to open under this agreement will be Euston in November and Brighton in January.
Passenger growth is set to continue, with the UK's top 14 railway stations being used by 650 million passengers a year. Therefore, railway concourse developments present a real opportunity for retailers to meet commuters' needs. In response, Marks & Spencer Simply Food stores cater for customers who want to buy prepared foods more conveniently with the benefit of extended opening hours, seven days a week.
Justin King, Marks & Spencer's Food Director, comments: "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."
For further information, please contact:
Bella Pagdin Corporate Press Office 020 7268 1967
Lisa Attenborough Corporate Communications 020 7268 6166
Lesley Potter, Compass Group UK & Ireland Press office 01895 554375
lesley.potter@compass-group.co.uk
Notes to editors:
1. Simply Food offers customers quality, convenient meal solutions, in a convenient high street or railway station location, with extended opening hours seven days a week.
2. Marks & Spencer currently has eight Simply Food stores: five stand
alone stores (Tottenham Court Road; Greenwich; South Clapham; Surbiton and Twickenham) and three SSP franchise railway station stores (Liverpool Street; Victoria; Marylebone).
3. Marks & Spencer has a total of 324 stores across UK and the Republic of Ireland.
4. Select Service Partner (SSP) is the specialist retail catering company
of Compass Group UK and Ireland providing a range of services including restaurants, café bars, food courts and coffee shops at airports, on board ferries, at railway stations and for High Street retailers. Compass Group UK and Ireland is a £2.9 billion turnover business, employing over 100,000 people. It is part of Compass Group PLC, the world's largest foodservice organisation.
