07 Jan 2026
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The new site will be Waitrose’s most sustainable distribution centre
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360,000 sq ft Bristol site to open in early 2027
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Investing in market leading technology to maintain award-winning product availability
Waitrose has announced that its first distribution centre in the South West will create over 550 new jobs in the region. Located in Avonmouth, Bristol, the new site will be its most sustainable distribution centre, and will be run by logistics company DHL.
DHL will begin recruiting for 480 warehouse colleagues and 80 drivers in spring, ahead of the site opening in early 2027.
The new site will play an important part in Waitrose’s plans to transform its supply chain as part of a multi-year £1bn investment in the brand, which includes investing in all 317 of its stores to deliver its goal of being the number one choice for food lovers.
The retailer has invested in new market leading technology, including AI customer demand forecasting, to build on its industry award-winning¹ product availability for customers, while also improving the experience of those working in its supply chain by reducing manual processes.
The new distribution centre will make deliveries more efficient for the 50 existing shops in the region, while supporting future expansion.
The retailer opened a new shop in The Arches, Bristol last autumn, and will open a full-line supermarket in the new Brabazon development in Bristol.
Alison Maffin, Waitrose’s Supply Chain Director, said: “As we grow, it’s essential that our supply chain grows with us. This new site strengthens our network, ensuring consistent service for our customers and creating over 550 jobs in a state-of-the-art facility. DHL shares our commitment to sustainable logistics, making them the perfect partner for this next phase of our expansion."
The new building, which has a roof made of 1,200 solar panels, energy efficient systems, extensive natural light, landscaped gardens and a roof terrace has been rated BREEAM ‘Outstanding’³ making it the retailer’s most sustainable site.
In addition, Waitrose estimates that the site will help reduce annual mileage within its supply chain by 2,225 tonnes of CO2 per year, which is the equivalent of takingover 1,500 vehicles² off the road annually. Lorries will refuel at the world’s largest biomethane refuelling station, which is opposite the warehouse.
Martin Willmor, CEO, DHL Supply Chain UKI said: “We are excited to be working with Waitrose as they expand their regional presence while reducing supply chain emissions. The new Bristol site reflects our shared commitment to sustainability, operational excellence, whilst supporting the community.”
When the jobs go live they will be posted on the DHL Jobs site.
Notes to Editors
Media contacts
Waitrose Mandy Pursey [email protected] 07813 696637
DHL James Hextall [email protected]om 07720 338696
¹ Waitrose won The Grocer 33 2025 Availability Award for achieving the best availability of UK supermarkets for 19 consecutive weeks.
² UK Government statistics - reducing 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the UK is the equivalent of taking approximately 680 average UK cars off the road for a full year.
³ BREEAM - BREEAM Outstanding means a building has achieved the highest level of sustainability performance, scoring 85% or more in the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method assessment, placing it in the top 1% of UK non-domestic buildings for environmental design, construction, and operation, focusing on energy efficiency, health, materials, and waste reduction.
About Waitrose
Run by over 45,000 passionate Partners, Waitrose has been serving customers for 120 years and offers extraordinary products in our 317 shops and on Waitrose.com. Inspiring food discovery, our expert Partners run almost 800 specialist food service counters in store, where customers can shop a variety of the best quality meat, fresh fish, dry aged beef, sushi, as well as cheese. Our Beer, Wine and Spirits team features the largest number of Masters of Wine of any UK supermarket and we sell nearly 3,000 different wines, beers, ciders, spirits as well as no and low drinks in our shops, on Waitrose.com and Waitrose Cellar. We are committed to selling products which have been responsibly sourced, grown using the very best sustainable farming methods, some of which are grown or trialled on our very own farm, the Leckford Estate. In 2024, Waitrose was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to be Grocers and Wine & Spirits Merchant to His Majesty King Charles III.
About DHL – The logistics company for the world
DHL is the leading global brand in the logistics industry. Our DHL divisions offer an unrivalled portfolio of logistics services ranging from national and international parcel delivery, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, international express, road, air and ocean transport to industrial supply chain management. With approximately 400,000 employees in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, DHL connects people and businesses securely and reliably, enabling global sustainable trade flows. With specialized solutions for growth markets and industries including technology, life sciences and healthcare, engineering, manufacturing & energy, auto-mobility and retail, DHL is decisively positioned as “The logistics company for the world”. DHL is part of DHL Group. The Group generated revenues of approximately 84.2 billion euros in 2024. With sustainable business practices and a commitment to society and the environment, the Group makes a positive contribution to the world. DHL Group aims to achieve net-zero emissions logistics by 2050.
