Marks and Spencer Group PLC (LSE:MKS) has announced plans to invest £340 million in a new automated distribution center in Daventry, located in central England, as part of its strategy to double the scale of its food business.
The facility, covering 1.3 million square feet, is expected to become operational in 2029, the company said Thursday.
Alex Freudmann, managing director of M&S Food, commented: “This investment will boost capacity for future growth, lower our cost to serve over the long-term, and improve product availability.”
The project is projected to generate 1,000 permanent roles on-site, in addition to approximately 2,000 positions during the construction phase.
This investment comes as M&S continues to recover from a cyberattack in April, which forced the retailer to suspend online clothing orders and temporarily shut down several systems, disrupting food supplies and increasing waste and logistics expenses.
In May, M&S estimated the attack would cut operating profit by around £300 million. Online clothing sales resumed on June 10 after a 46-day suspension, and the August 11 relaunch of click-and-collect services represents another milestone in the company’s recovery from the cyber incident.
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