Waitrose managing director Mark Price has been appointed deputy chairman of the grocer’s parent John Lewis Partnership. Retail Week takes a look at his his achievements over the past year.
Mark Price will have toasted the last year with one of the upmarket grocer’s finest bottles of bubbly. While Price has seen Reading, the football team Waitrose sponsors, relegated, the grocer has enjoyed championship winning form.
Waitrose has continued to make inroads into the big four’s market share, and has increased sales in a tough environment. The retailer notched up a record market share of 4.9% in the 12 weeks to April 14 and reported an 11.1% rise in first quarter sales in May. The grocer generated surging online sales up 50.1% in the same period and has leveraged its multichannel credentials to gain customers through the collection of John Lewis products in Waitrose stores.
The self-styled ‘chubby grocer’ has made some big decisions in the last year, first changing tack on advertising and donating the spend destined for its Christmas ads to charity and then parting company with long-term brand ambassador and TV chef Delia Smith.
Waitrose has also proven adept at exploiting national celebrations such as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which drove impressive sales. In February it snared the Duchess of Cambridge’s sister, Pippa Middleton, as a columnist for its Waitrose magazine. In case Price ever tires of retailing, writing appears to be another of his strengths – last October, he penned a chapter on politeness in business for anthology How Rude! Modern Manners Defined.
His appointment as deputy chairman, after 31 years at the partnership, marks a pleasing landmark for the loyal partner. He takes up the role, alongside his Waitrose responsibilities, in August.
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