WHSmith launches new own-brand food range

WHSmith has launched Smith’s Family Kitchen, a brand-new food to go range exclusively available in over 300 WHSmith UK travel stores.

Smith’s Family Kitchen, which has been designed specifically for travelling customers, is made up of over 30 quality products including sandwiches, salads, wraps and baguettes.

The branding, design, packaging and product have been developed on feedback from over one thousand shoppers. 

This includes new tastes available at WHSmith for the first time such as the gochujang Korean BBQ chicken wrap with pickled slaw, and a New Yorker inspired sandwich made with salt beef. Additionally, WHSmith will be introducing new vegetarian and vegan products using fresh salad leaves locally sourced from where the products are made. 

UK travel is the largest division in WHSmith, with 590 stores across the UK in airports, railway stations and hospitals. The retailer recently reported strong growth for UK travel in the first half of the year, driven by the business’ transformation from a news, books and convenience retailer, to a one-stop-shop for travel essentials.

WHSmith has already seen strong customer responses to the roll out of its one-stop-shop format in its larger stores including London Heathrow, London Gatwick and most recently Birmingham Airport.

The retailer sees significant scope for this store format to be rolled out to more stores across the UK travel estate, as well as new store openings in key locations.

Andrew Harrison, managing director, UK travel, WHSmith said: “We’re on a mission to offer time-pressed customers all their travel essentials under one roof with a fast and convenient shopping experience. With millions of customers turning to WHSmith each year to fuel their journeys, we’re making our biggest investment in WHSmith’s food offer since we first started offering chilled food and drinks in our Travel stores more than 10 years ago, with the launch of a new and delicious food to go range.

“Working with a team of chefs to tailor our range and ensure we’re using the best quality ingredients has been fantastic, and the team has done an excellent job with the look and feel of the new brand – it’s a really exciting time for the business. We never sit still and we’re constantly innovating to give our customers even more reasons to shop with WHSmith on their travels.”