Waitrose has unveiled its first dedicated website for overseas shoppers in the United Arab Emirates.

The Waitrose site, run with local partner Fine Fare Food Market, carries 15,000 products and will cover 1,500 households in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. 

The online store, Waitrose.ae, offers same-day delivery and allows customers to amend orders up to two hours beforehand. Orders will be picked and packed from two of the retailer’s 12 shops in the two emirates. 

Waitrose commercial sales business manager Sarah Burton said: “Our ecommerce service has grown significantly in the UK and we’re very excited to work with our partners to extend this to our customers in the United Arab Emirates.”

Fine Fare Foods chief executive Sunil Kumar said: “Our new website adds online capability, meaning we can reach even more customers in the UAE while supporting the local community during these uncertain times with an easy way to shop. 

“As the pace of online shopping continues to accelerate, listening to our customers’ demands and reflecting the service, quality and choice of our supermarkets have never been more crucial.”

Online growth is a priority at Waitrose, following the end of its tie-up with Ocado after Marks & Spencer established a joint venture with the online grocer and tech company.

Waitrose said that its online arm is on course to “become a £1bn business in its own right by the end of the year”.

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