Ocado Retail, the newly formed joint venture between the online grocer and Marks & Spencer, has posted an increase in quarterly revenue and orders, but the average order size edged down.

Ocado reported an increase in retail revenue of 11.4% to £386.3m in the period to September 1. Average orders per week were up 12.1% to 314,000. However, the average order value of £105.42 was down 0.8%.

The retailer said growth was “enabled by additional capacity at our fourth customer fulfilment centre in Erith”, despite a fire there in late August which followed a blaze at Ocado’s Andover distribution centre in February. 

Ocado Retail chief executive Melanie Smith, who joined from Marks & Spencer, said: “These first set of results from the joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S show the resilience of Ocado following the Andover fire and the momentum the business now has.

“As we continue to enhance our offering and add more capacity in the UK, our leading partnership will deliver the very best experience to an ever-growing number of customers.

“Bringing Ocado and M&S together online will give UK consumers even greater choice, value and service and will create important new opportunities for our colleagues, suppliers, and other stakeholders.

“These are really exciting times as we prepare to launch the full M&S food range online for the first time from September 2020 at the latest.”