Highlights
- Southern Co-op has announced a franchise partnership with Wenzel’s, a family-run bakery retailer, marking Wenzel’s first-ever franchise partnership and expanding its customer base into new regions across the UK.
- The collaboration reflects Southern Co-op's strategic focus on expanding into the growing demand for food-to-go, bringing fresh, on-the-go food offerings to high-footfall locations.
- The first store under the new franchise model is set to open in Guildford in early September, with more expected to follow in the near future.
Southern Co-op has announced its latest franchise partnership with Wenzel’s – one the UK’s largest family-run bakery retailers.
This collaboration marks Wenzel’s first-ever franchise partnership, expanding its customer base into new regions across the country.
The company, an independent family-run business led by founder Peter Wenzel and his daughter Sarah as CEO, celebrates its 50th anniversary on the British high street this year and prides itself on offering handcrafted, high-quality baked goods using traditional baking methods.
Southern Co-op said the new partnership reflects its strategic focus on expanding into the growing demand for food-to-go, bringing fresh, on-the-go food offerings to high-footfall locations with speed, quality and convenience.
The first store under the new franchise model is set to open in Guildford in early September, with more expected to follow in the near future.
“We’re incredibly excited to partner with Wenzel’s as they take their first step into franchising,” Nick Smith, central services director at Southern Co-op said.
“This partnership represents a powerful alignment of values – great food, great service and a great opportunity to grow. We’re confident that this is only the beginning of a successful journey together.”
Sarah Wenzel, CEO of Wenzel’s, said: “We’re delighted that Southern Co-op have chosen to be our franchise partner and are confident that our collaborative partnership will be mutually beneficial and rewarding in the coming year”.
“Southern Co-op is a business that has consistently put the community first, and with this shared vision of offering high-quality food for all, we’re in a strong position to bring delicious, freshly baked goods at accessible prices to even more customers across the UK.”
The move by the regional co-operative follows the unveiling of a new food-to-go store format by the larger Co-operative Group, which launched its first ‘on-the-go’ micro-store in Solihull, near Birmingham, last month.