Bristol-based specialist online supermarket British Corner Shop has renewed its contract with high-end retailer Waitrose under which it sells its UK-made products to more than 150,000 customers spread across 146 countries.
Last year alone British Corner Shop delivered more than 1.4m Waitrose biscuits to the British expat community worldwide.
The original agreement between Waitrose and Iron Acton-based British Corner Shop was signed in 2016.
Following the success of that partnership, Waitrose has announced a two-year extension – meaning British Corner Shop will continue to offer a mix of the supermarket’s own-label ambient and fresh goods through its global e-commerce supply chains.
As part of the tie-up, international customers will be able to continue buying 2,700 Waitrose products including sub-brands Waitrose Duchy Organic, Waitrose Baby, essential Waitrose and the Waitrose 1 range.
From humble beginnings in founding managing director Mark Callaghan’s garage, British Corner Shop has enjoyed incredible growth over the past 12 years, tapping into a desire for a taste of home by expats with a product range that includes Bird’s custard, Twiglets, Bisto gravy granules and Marmite. In 2016 it won a Queen’s Award in recognition of its international trade.
Mr Callaghan said the extension of the Waitrose agreement reinforced his firm’s position as the expat community’s ‘number one choice’ for quality UK food brands.
“With its commitment to quality and reputation for excellence, there is something quintessentially British about the Waitrose brand – and we are seeing increasing demand for its own-label products,” he said.
“In particular what you might term ‘comfort food’, such as Waitrose biscuits, baked beans and porridge oats – are hugely popular not just with expats, but with our customers generally.
“We’re incredibly proud to be able to call ourselves a partner to a globally-admired business such as Waitrose and this announcement underlines our own commitment to meeting the incredibly high standards demanded of that brand.”
The most popular Waitrose own-label ambient products sold by British Corner Shop to its customers include ginger nut, bourbon creams and custard cream biscuits, shortbread fingers and baked beans in tomato sauce, while the most popular fresh products are Waitrose 1 pork sausages and Essential Waitrose unsmoked thick back bacon.
Pictured: British Corner Shop founder Mark Callaghan, third from left, with his team outside the firm’s HQ
