East of England Co-op is growing its food business into Cambridgeshire with two stores set to open in the region this year.
The first will be in Waterbeach, a village near Ely where a new community of 4,500 homes is due to be built. Another is set to open later in the year at One Cambridge Square, a new urban centre at Cambridge North station.
The East Anglia-based retailer, founded more than 150 years ago, already operates over 120 food stores across Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. It also has a £120m investment property portfolio of 500 properties throughout East Anglia, including 250 residential units.
CEO Doug Field said: “We’re excited to get to know the local community in the areas surrounding our new stores in Waterbeach and Cambridge.
“These are challenging economical times for our country, our co-op and our members. In the face of these challenges, we’re standing strong and embarking on an ambitious plan to grow our Food business.
“The opening of our first Cambridgeshire Food stores will mark an important milestone in our expansion.”
Field was appointed the society’s CEO at the start of the year, after it replaced its collegiate leadership structure with a single role. He had previously served as one of the society’s four joint CEOs.
