Co-op Franchise, part of Co-op Wholesale, has secured four ten-year agreements for university campus convenience stores.
The new partnerships span the country and are all positioned within esteemed educational institutions - Queen Mary University of London, the University of Leicester, the University of Sheffield and Durham University.
These add to the recently announced openings at the University of Glasgow and the University of Birmingham. It takes the Co-op university franchise estate to 17 stores in 2026 - a 50% increase in the year.
Growing demand
The latest agreements reflect “the growing demand from universities and students’ unions seeking Co-op as a trusted retail partner that can improve the campus experience,” the group said. It also comes on the back of the higher education facilities’ desire to support sustainability ambitions and create additional income opportunities for campus communities.
Since opening its first university franchise store in 2019, Co-op has steadily expanded its presence across the sector, working alongside universities and students’ unions to develop convenience stores designed specifically around the needs of students, staff and visitors alike.
The first of the four new stores to open will be at Queen Mary University of London, operated in partnership with Queen Mary Students’ Union (QMSU) and representing Co-op’s first university campus store in London.
Next, expansion will move to the Leicester launch, while the other two stores will follow in due course.
The franchise model enables partners to benefit from a professionally managed retail offer without needing to develop specialist convenience retail expertise themselves.
Student life
Co-op stores on campus are designed to support modern student lifestyles, offering value, food-to-go, meal solutions and everyday essentials in convenient locations. The stores also help keep spending on campus, create employment opportunities for students and enhance the overall campus experience.
Melanie Crunkhorn, BDM for franchise at Co-op Wholesale, said: “We’re delighted to welcome four more university partners to the Co-op franchise family. Increasingly, universities and students’ unions are looking for partners that can help them enhance the student experience whilst also delivering sustainable commercial returns and supporting wider campus objectives.
“Our franchise model brings together a trusted brand, specialist retail expertise and a partnership approach that enables institutions to focus on what they do best while we take care of the retail operation.
“These latest agreements are another strong endorsement of the value Co-op can bring to campus communities - we’re excited to work alongside Queen Mary, Durham, Leicester and Sheffield to create outstanding retail experiences for students, staff and visitors alike.”
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