Online grocer Ocado has reported a 14.4% year-on-year increase in sales to £185.5m in the first quarter buoyed by new customers.

The etailer said its average orders per week had grown 12% to 130,995 year-on-year in the 12 weeks to February 24.

Ocado said its average order size has increased 2.2% to £117.99 in the period. It also opened its second customer fulfilment centre in Dordon last month.

The online grocer revealed today that it has entered discussions with Morrisons to license its technology to the Bradford-based grocer.

Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner said: “We maintained the momentum in sales growth and new customer acquisition with which we entered the year. Further improvements to the proposition to customers that we are making this year should enhance our appeal to shoppers and enable us to continue this momentum.

“We successfully opened [fulfilment centre] CFC2 last month on time and on budget, and this substantially increases our capacity to serve the growing demand from many more customers who like shopping online for their groceries.”

Special offer

Subscribe to Retail Week today to keep up-to-date with all the latest coverage from Retail Week Live 2013.

Your subscription will include the weekly print magazine, full access to Retail-Week.com and Retail Week Knowledge Bank, plus you will save 10% on the standard subscription rate.