Grocer Wm Morrison (MRW) announced a couple of about-turns this week. The first was that it would be making its way back into convenience retailing having sold its M Local chain as part of a recovery plan kick-started last year.
But it's going at it in a slow and sensible way, choosing to pilot the new convenience offering in 10 of its petrol station shops owned and managed by leading forecourt operator Rontec. Four Morrisons Daily shops will open before Christmas and a further six in January. Morrisons is already trialling a convenience offering with another forecourt operator, Motor Fuel Group.
But there was also another revival - that of the Safeway brand it bought in 2004 and mothballed a year later. The group will use the Safeway brand for a new wholesale business aimed at independent retailers. Such a business model clearly faces off against a slick operator in this field, Booker (BOK).
All this comes shortly after Morrisons and Amazon's collaboration, showing chief executive David Potts is working hard on rejuvenating the company's fortunes.
