Co-op Wholesale and Roadchef begin nationwide store rollout

Co-op Wholesale and Roadchef have kicked off a nationwide store rollout following the launch of their strategic partnership in April.

The pair opened the first of eight new convenience stores on 5 June, at Roadchef Norton Canes. 

Known as ‘Norton Canes & Co-op’, it is the first Spar-branded site to be converted to Co-op Wholesale’s new ‘& Co-op’ fascia identity.

The new fascia, which aims to further leverage the Co-op brand, will launch fully to the market later in 2025. It will sit alongside the existing Nisa and ‘Proud to stock Co-op’ options.

The 'Norton Canes & Co-op’ store will feature an extensive range of Co-op own-brand lines, including food-to-go, pizzas and ready meals.

The site will also serve a full in-store bakery range from the summer, and features self-checkouts and digital innovations.

“Through this collaboration, Roadchef can harness the strength of our iconic Co-op brand, to deliver a truly compelling convenience offer to millions of travellers across the UK, allowing them to shoulder with the other big names on the motorway,” said Co-op Wholesale MD Katie Secretan.

“Together we’ll continue to evolve our range and formats to suit each location, drawing on our shared expertise. By leveraging insight-led recommendations and our category leadership in ‘food for now’ and ‘food for later’ missions, we’re committed to optimising the performance and relevance of every store.”

The ‘& Co-op’ concept is currently being trialled with Highland Group, a long-standing partner of the business, and both retailer and shopper analysis will be used to shape the proposition further.