Waitrose has opened its first ever ‘Home of Food Lovers’ concept store in Newbury, Berkshire, featuring a range of new technologies designed to enhance the customer and Partner experience.

The 27,000 sq ft store focuses on “outstanding quality, expert service and ethically sourced product,” and is powered by new technology, part of Waitrose’s £50 million investment in technology designed to improve in-store operations, efficiency and service.

Partners at the Newbury store will be the first to trial an AI app created by Waitrose to give them up-to-date product information, enabling them to better serve customers.

Responding to either text or voice requests, the app will give Partners answers on product availability and location, nutritional data, sustainability credentials and even cooking and recipe recommendations.

Shelf-edge cameras, designed to help Partners spot stock gaps faster, are also being tested in Newbury and in six other shops. The grocer is additionally rolling out Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) and new handheld devices that allow staff to check stock, pricing and product information on the shop floor.

Tina Mitchell, Interim Managing Director for Waitrose said: “We’re deliberately investing in the joy of food – in expert cheesemongers, butchers and fishmongers, as well as our cafés and bakeries – a strategic choice that champions the in-store experience for our customers. This vision is backed by our largest-ever tech investment, using AI and new systems to ensure a seamless customer experience, one that has our Partners and their passion for food right at its heart.”

The store also features a five-metre cheese island showcasing nearly 100 speciality cheeses, alongside expanded and modernised counters featuring a new ‘Meal Maker’ service, where Fishmongers and Butchers prepare cuts with free rubs and marinades.

An expanded in-store bakery introduces a new partnership with premium brand Ole & Steen, which will be rolled out to 35 stores. The Newbury site also features ten new brand partnerships, a Food Lovers Hub, a delicatessen counter, a fine and rare wine section, and a new Waite & Rose café.