Waitrose Logo PNG
The emblem symbolizes freshness, naturalness, growth, and development. The Waitrose logo perfectly conveys the idea of grocery stores. Its symbols spread like a network along the base and demonstrate the unification of many outlets to meet visitors’ needs.
Waitrose: Brand overview
| Founded: | 1904 |
| Founder: | Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose, David Taylor |
| Headquarters: | London, United Kingdom |
| Website: | waitrose.com |
Waitrose (full name – Waitrose & Partners) is a retail chain of several hundred supermarkets scattered throughout the UK. It is also a brand for the sale of products domestically and their export abroad. The firm was founded in 1904 by Wallace Waite, David Taylor, and Arthur Rose, and in 1937 it was acquired by the John Lewis Partnership, which still owns the trademark. The origin of the first store is the Acton area in London (UK). Today the head offices are located in the English cities of Bracknell and Victoria.
At first, it was just a grocery store opened in West London by three entrepreneurs. The organization was, in fact, a partnership, but after four years from the moment of its work, it ceased to be such since one of the founders left it. When the John Lewis Partnership absorbed it, it already had ten retail outlets of its own.
Then the story of ups and downs began. So, in 1944, the network increased by 12 points of sale at once. In 1951, one of the Waitrose brand stores completely switched to a self-service system. In 1955, the commercial network expanded throughout London, in the 1960s focused on the southeast region of England, and in the 1970s, nationwide expansion began throughout the country.
Moreover, the Waitrose brand was the first to open organic products and launched online shopping with home delivery. As a result, the brand became so famous that the UK population trusted its emblem. No wonder he received a warrant from the royal court to supply food and alcoholic beverages for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles. As for branding, it should be noted: initially, the chain of stores was called Waite, Rose & Taylor – after the names of the organizers. But with the departure of one of them, it changed its name to Waitrose. It was this version that became the basis of the emblem.
Meaning and History
The British supermarket chain changed its name several times, which affected its visual identity. At first, she was known as Waite, Rose & Taylor, and this phrase became the basis of the word mark. Then the name was shortened to Waitrose, and the inscription in the logo was also reduced. And in 2018, the brand was renamed Waitrose & Partners because it decided to start a marketing partnership with high-end department stores John Lewis & Partners. Colleagues agreed to use emblems made in the same style. They have a thin, minimalistic sans-serif typeface in common, and the signs have a similar background, consisting of a large quadrilateral and many thin stripes. The colors are strikingly different: Waitrose traditionally sticks to its usual green palette.
What is Waitrose?
Waitrose is a British supermarket chain, officially called Waitrose & Partners. Its history began in 1904 with the opening of a small shop. Since then, the company has transformed into a major retailer, holding a royal warrant for the supply of food and alcoholic beverages. It offers a wide range of environmentally friendly and organic products. The brand owner is John Lewis Partnership.
1904 – 1908
The first logo looked like a simple plaque listing the names of the owners of the store chain. The text was on an elongated brown rectangle and consisted of the phrase “Waite, Rose & Taylor.”
1908 – 1955
After Taylor left the business, the name was shortened to the Waitrose version, which is still relevant today. In terms of individual brand identity, almost nothing has changed. The logo looked like simple grotesque lettering on a dark background.
1955 – 1969
Since the signboard is the most important brand with real sales points, it was decided to continue to use a personal identity. There was nothing extra on the emblem – only the network’s name, executed in an uppercase font. The letters had pronounced serifs and a wide inter-character arrangement. The color scheme of the logo is monochrome and consisted of a combination of black and white.
1969 – 1987
The designers made the font massive, wide, and bold. As a result, the inscription looked large. The serifs have also been enlarged, so they have expanded significantly, turning into a kind of mini-rectangles at the characters’ ends.
1987 – 2004
The developers left, in fact, the same font but reduced the width of the letters. As a result, the lettering on the logo has become thin, graceful, and easy to read.
2004 – 2018
After the redesign, the brand received a color emblem with the name in a sleek typeface. The letters are green and completely devoid of serifs. They are elongated, clear, chopped. The main emphasis was on the “t,” which was completely missing the bottom, and the top was cut off at an angle, which made it appear sharp.
2018 – today
The undertaken update is related to the rebranding of the company. After the renaming, an addition appeared in the name: ampersand & and the word “Partners.” The designers also worked on the letters, using a different font – clean, open, thin, which quickly read the lettering. They also tweaked the color by choosing a dark olive shade. This option has one little feature that is almost invisible. The fact is that the last two letters in the added part (“R” and “S”) are slightly lower in size than the rest of the characters.
Waitrose: Interesting Facts
Waitrose, a popular supermarket in the UK, is known for its high-quality products, focus on sustainability, and great customer service.
- History: In 1904, Wallace Waite, Arthur Rose, and David Taylor established Waitrose in West London. Although Waitrose began as a small grocery store, it has since become a trusted supermarket chain.
- Employee Ownership: Waitrose has been part of the John Lewis Partnership since 1937, meaning its employees own it. They all have a stake in the business and share its profits.
- Quality and Sustainability: The supermarket is committed to offering high-quality and sustainably sourced products. It sells various organic items, supports local suppliers, and even has its farm, the Leckford Estate.
- Environmental Efforts: Leading in green initiatives, Waitrose was the first major UK supermarket to stop selling magazines with disposable plastic toys and aims to reduce plastic use significantly.
- Royal Approval: Holding two Royal Warrants from the Queen and the Prince of Wales, Waitrose is recognized for its excellent products and services.
- Giving Back: Through its Community Matters program, Waitrose donates to local charities and community groups, showing its dedication to the communities it serves.
- Exclusive Products: Known for its unique product lines and collaborations with well-known chefs, Waitrose offers innovative, high-quality food items.
- Cooking Education: With Waitrose Cookery School, the brand offers cooking classes to inspire customers and teach them new cooking skills, emphasizing its commitment to food education.
- Animal Welfare: Praised for its animal welfare standards, Waitrose has been recognized as the top supermarket for the ethical treatment of farm animals and has strict policies to ensure their well-being.
- Digital Innovation: Beyond its stores, Waitrose has a strong online shopping platform and has introduced digital services like virtual wine tastings and cooking demos, especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These points showcase Waitrose’s dedication to quality, environmental responsibility, and customer service, making it stand out in the competitive supermarket industry.
Font and Colors
For a brand, the most important thing is the logo’s recognition and versatility so that the name of the supermarkets is heard. Therefore, the owners settled on a simple but effective solution – a minimalistic logo consisting only of text. Some variants for Waitrose were developed by advertising and marketing agency Monotype Imaging and studio Interbrand.
Initially, the retail chain used signage, which was dominated by serif signs. But starting from 2004, a radically opposite letter was approved – smooth, chopped, from the Sans Serif category. Each logo had its writing style. The year was close to fonts such as Clarendon Wide Medium, Typewriter FS Condensed Bold, Century Schoolbook FS Regular Humanist 521 Regular, and Chantilly Medium. The color scheme is monochrome and consists of black and white (formerly) and olive and white (now).
Waitrose color codes
| Olive Drab | Hex color: | #e3d4ad |
|---|---|---|
| RGB: | 91 128 23 | |
| CMYK: | 29 0 82 50 | |
| Pantone: | PMS 370 C |
