WHSmith has introduced a new café format as part of its travel division.
The first Smith’s Kitchen café was launched on Thursday at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton. The café spans 495 square feet and offers seating for 26 guests.
Smith’s Kitchen is WHSmith's first own-brand café, offering a variety of dine-in and takeaway options. The menu includes coffee, hot breakfast items, and patisserie baked on-site.
Smith’s Kitchen also features the recently launched Smith’s Family Kitchen food range, offering over 30 products, including sandwiches, salads, baguettes, and wraps.
Andrew Harrison, UK travel managing director at WHSmith, said: “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. With the opening of our first ever own-brand café coming hot on the heels of our newly launched own-brand food range, this shows the pace of innovation across our business and commitment to delivering quality experiences and products at WHSmith for our customers and partners.”
UK travel is WHSmith’s largest division, with 590 stores across airports, hospitals, and railway stations. The launch of Smith’s Kitchen at Princess Anne Hospital marks the first time WHSmith has combined its own-brand store and food-to-go range under one roof. The company plans to expand this integrated offering to more travel locations across the UK in the near future.
