Waitrose

Waitrose in brief

• Rank: #30 of 100 in UK's Most Powerful 100 Brands 2026; #4 of 13 in Retail & E-Commerce.
• WCRC Power Score: 66.68 out of 100.
• Founded: 1904, by Wallace Wyndham Waite, Arthur Rose and David Taylor.
• Owner: John Lewis Partnership plc, Bracknell, England.
• Leadership: Tom Denyard, Managing Director, Waitrose.
• Latest revenue: £8.5bn revenue (FY2026, year to Jan 2026, +7.0%), as per company filings.

What makes Waitrose powerful

Waitrose has long been the British supermarket most associated with quality, and in 2025/26 that reputation translated into growth. Sales rose 7% to £8.5bn, and the chain reported its tenth consecutive quarter of customer growth, with My Waitrose membership up 6%.

Its premium positioning is a real point of difference. Sales of the top-tier Waitrose No.1 range rose nearly 30%, while online order volumes rose 11% and online sales by more than 13%. Adjusted operating profit rose £29m to £256m, lifting margin to 3.2%. Being part of the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership, whose sales rose 5% to £13.4bn, gives Waitrose a distinctive culture and long-term ownership. A new managing director, former Tesco executive Tom Denyard, now leads the next stage of its growth.

Sales of Waitrose No.1, its premium range, rose by nearly 30% in 2025/26.

Why Waitrose ranks #30

Waitrose ranks 30th with a WCRC Power Score of 66.68, just behind Revolut and ahead of Aviva. Trust (72) is its strongest pillar, rooted in a food-quality reputation and employee ownership, and Sustainability and governance (68) is also strong. Positioning and recall (66) and Product and innovation (64) are solid, helped by nearly 30% growth in Waitrose No.1, but Digital and financial (58) holds it back, reflecting a thin 3.2% operating margin.

The Achilles' heel

Waitrose operates on thin margins, with an operating margin of 3.2%, and has a much smaller store network than the largest grocers. Its upmarket customers shop around, and discounters continue to win share across all income groups. The Partnership restored its staff bonus in 2026 for the first time since 2022, but at 2% of salary it shows how little room there is for investment.

The 2026 story

In March 2026 the John Lewis Partnership reported that Waitrose sales rose 7% to £8.5bn in 2025/26, with adjusted operating profit up £29m to £256m and ten consecutive quarters of customer growth. Online order volumes rose 11% and Waitrose No.1 sales grew nearly 30%. Partnership profit before tax, bonus and exceptional items rose 6% to £134m, allowing the first staff bonus since 2022. Tom Denyard, recruited from Tesco, succeeded James Bailey as managing director.

Pillar profile

Provisional desk scores out of 100, for the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit to validate.

Versus its nearest rivals

Questions people ask

Also featured in

• Most powerful Retail & E-Commerce brands
• UK's 50 Most Valuable Brands
• UK's Most Trusted Brands
• Most powerful brands in England

Key facts

Sources

• Revenue figure published by John Lewis Partnership plc
• Company website, official announcements and press releases
• Published interviews and statements by the leadership
• WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer sentiment, ratings and reviews, search demand, media and social data