Waitrose, the food shops division of the John Lewis Partnership, extended its presence overseas with the opening of its first store in Bahrain yesterday at Amwaj Island.

It will be the third store outside of the UK with two stores operating successfully in the UAE.

Waitrose, managed by Dubai-based Fine Fare Food Market, is located at The Lagoon, Amwaj Islands.

Fine Fare Food Market manages the store in Bahrain through their local operating company Supa Save Bahrain.

The new supermarket offers Waitrose products, including the successful essential Waitrose range, as well as locally sourced products to meet the needs of the local Bahrain customers.

"Expanding our business into the Middle East supports our long-term growth plans to make the Waitrose brand accessible to more people in more places," said Waitrose director of international development Davis Morton.

"Following the excellent sales performance and positive customer response in the region, we are thrilled to be opening our first store in Bahrain in such a unique location. Our partnership with Fine Fare Food Market enables us to deliver quality food that suits the needs of local shoppers and we're currently working together to find more suitable locations in the region, with the aim of opening more shops in the Middle East," he added. - TradeArabia News Service