Waitrose scraps supply chain tech deal

Waitrose has scrapped an automated customer fulfilment centre partnership with Today Development Partners (TDP) after just four months.

The supermarket announced the collaboration in May with the company led by Ocado founder Jonathan Faiman. The deal was aimed at growing its online arm into a £1 billion business by upgrading its supply chain technology, three months the partnership with Ocado ended.

The John Lewis Partnership, which includes Waitrose, yesterday released a financial update which included the news.

“In mid-May, we announced a proposal to explore opportunities around automated online fulfilment with Today Development Partners,” it stated. “We have recently decided not to continue with that relationship and will instead pursue our online ambitions utilising existing expertise across the partnership.”

Faiman, TDP’s chief executive, commented: “We are building a business that will have a number of different partners in different markets, and this was always going to be the case; indeed we are in advanced talks with new partners and there will be announcements in the near future.

“We enjoyed working with Waitrose until our partnership ended back in July and we wish them the very best in the future,” he added.

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