Asda has announced a landmark expansion plan to open 110 Asda Express convenience stores across the UK in February, marking a significant step in its strategy to enhance its convenience sector presence and reach a total of 1,000 stores nationwide for the first time.
This ambitious project involves converting 109 former convenience stores, acquired from the Co-op and EG Group, into Asda Express outlets, alongside one additional store opening organically. This move is part of a multi-million pound investment and underscores Asda’s commitment to securing its position as the UK’s second-largest grocery retailer.
By the end of March, Asda aims to complete the transformation of all 470 convenience sites it acquired into Asda Express stores, having already converted 259 sites by the end of January. This effort complements the eight organically opened Asda Express sites, propelling the supermarket’s combined estate to its largest in its 58-year history and hitting the milestone of 1,000 UK stores.
Andy Perry, Asda’s Vice President of Convenience, said: “Asda’s significant investment in building a nationwide chain of convenience stores is a key component of our long-term strategy to become the number two player in UK grocery. February is a transformational month for programme with a record number of store openings and conversion of all former Co-op sites to Asda Express sites. The teams have worked at pace to reach this point and we look forward to bringing Asda’s quality and low prices to many more communities across the UK.”
Asda Express stores will feature a diverse range of up to 3,000 branded and own-label products to meet various customer needs, from quick essentials to full meal preparations. The locations of the new stores span the UK, from the Isle of Skye in the Hebrides to Plymouth in Devon and Ipswich in Suffolk, with a significant number of stores opening in southern England, where Asda has traditionally been underrepresented.
This expansion plays into Asda’s broader strategy to delve deeper into the fast-growing convenience and food-to-go sectors, a focus that has been sharpened since the acquisition by the Issa brothers and TDR Capital in 2021.
