Morrisons acquires 38 Channel Islands c-stores

Morrisons has acquired 38 stores, including six fuel forecourts, in the Channel Islands from long-term partner and convenience retailer SandpiperCI.

All of the convenience stores, which are located on the islands of Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney, are already supplied by the supermarket giant in some capacity and 19 operate under the Morrisons Daily fascia – a transition which first began in 2018 after the retailer and SandpiperCI signed a long-term franchise and wholesale supply agreement.

Over the past 12 months, the stores being acquired had a turnover of £124.5m, including fuel.

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Under the terms of the transaction, around 520 SandpiperCI store, operations and managerial colleagues will become Morrisons workers.

The business will be managed by convenience, online and wholesale director Joseph Sutton and his team, which includes convenience operations director Miles Foster.

Morrisons chief executive Rami Baitiéh said: “We have had a solid and successful supply and franchise partnership with SandpiperCI and we have a strong relationship with the business. I look forward to welcoming 520 more colleagues into the Morrisons family, together with 38 popular and well-located convenience stores.

“Our convenience business is now well set and growing rapidly. The addition of a further 38 stores will bring us another opportunity for growth and a strong position in the important Channel Islands’ convenience market.”

The deal adds to the grocer’s 1,600 convenience stores across the UK.

It comes as Morrisons completed the sale of its petrol forecourts for £2.5bn to Motor Fuel Group (MFG).

The deal includes 337 petrol forecourts and more than 400 associated sites on the supermarket giant’s car parks across the UK for ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging development.