Wincanton has won a contract extension with Waitrose for storage and distribution of wines and spirits to 357 UK outlets, which include supermarkets, motorway service stations, Ocado and Waitrose Cellar sites.

The extension takes the partnership between Waitrose and Wincanton to more than 20 years.

From its HMRC-approved, bonded warehouse facility in West London, Wincanton co-ordinates the distribution of more than 10 million cases of alcohol for the retailer.

Wincanton uses its core fleet for the contract, bringing in extra vehicles to deal with seasonal peaks, which it said can vary by as much as 100% depending on the time of year.

The operator said this fleet flexibility was a key reason Waitrose awarded the renewal, in addition to a pay-as-you-go model used in its warehousing to deal with fluctuating volumes.

Liam McElroy, retail MD at Wincanton, said: “Over the course of almost two decades we’ve forged a superb working relationship with Waitrose wines and spirits and I’m delighted to be able to announce this contract extension.”

Topics