​WHSmith Enters the Café Market with Smith's Kitchen Launch

In a bold move to diversify its offerings, renowned retailer WHSmith has ventured into the hospitality sector by introducing its new café format, Smith's Kitchen. This marks a significant step for WHSmith as it extends its presence beyond traditional retail into the food and beverage industry.

The inaugural Smith's Kitchen opened on 15 August at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, offering a modern 26-seat, 495-square-foot space. The café aims to cater to the needs of NHS staff, patients, and visitors, providing a selection of both dine-in and takeaway options. The menu features locally sourced coffee, hot breakfasts, and freshly baked pâtisserie, focusing on quality and convenience.

A key highlight of the new café is the inclusion of the Smith's Family Kitchen range, which was recently launched across WHSmith's stores. This range includes over 30 products, such as sandwiches, salads, baguettes, and wraps. Developed with input from more than 1,000 customers, the Smith's Family Kitchen line emphasises customer satisfaction and product innovation.

Andrew Harrison, Managing Director of WHSmith UK Travel, commented on the launch: "Whether it's in a hospital or on their journeys, customers tell us that quality food and drink options are what they prioritise most in the different locations we serve. That's why we have been doubling down on our food ranges and formats to ensure our customers don't need to compromise on quality or value, as demonstrated today with the launch of Smith's Kitchen."

He added that the introduction of Smith's Kitchen, following the recent launch of its brand food range, highlights its commitment to innovation and providing high-quality experiences and products to its customers and partners.

The UK Travel division is the largest within WHSmith, operating 590 stores across various travel hubs, including airports, hospitals, and railway stations. The launch of Smith's Kitchen represents the first time WHSmith has combined its brand store and food-to-go range under one roof. Plans are underway to roll out this combined offering across more travel locations throughout the UK.

WHSmith's presence in hospitals has been one of the most rapidly expanding segments of its UK travel business. With over 140 stores and franchises in hospitals nationwide, the company has opened four new locations in the past eight weeks alone. Looking ahead, WHSmith sees potential for at least one of its formats to expand into 200 hospitals nationwide.