Leeds based fashion and lifestyle retailer invests £2m to support growth ambitions

Joe Browns, the fashion and lifestyle retailer, has announced that it would be investing £2m in a warehouse upgrade that is designed to support both its growth ambitions and increase pick face efficiency even further.

Its existing warehouse, which forms part of its head office building in Holbeck, Leeds, was extended in November 2020 at a cost of £1.5m. The new upgrade comes off the back of “healthy” sales growth and a need to future-proof the logistics element of the business.

The upgrade will see the installation of a 110m conveyor system and racking that will build on Joe Browns’ existing pick face efficiency. It will allow deliveries into the depot to be picked directly on arrival, doubling handling replenishment capacity, and further reducing delivery times to customers and third party partners.

At the same time, enhanced tracking technology included within the project cost will also improve Joe Browns’ scan and pick efficiencies. Work starts on the warehouse upgrade, which handles the retailer’s home and fashion offerings, in three weeks and will be functional by Q3. The existing operation within will function throughout the works.

Darren Abbott, finance director, Joe Browns, commented: “As well as a remarkable stand-out product, with a Joe Browns’ point of difference, a customer centric approach is central to our growth ambitions both directly and through third party partners.

“Getting products there in the most effective and efficient way is key to this. We’ve already outgrown our earlier warehouse extension and this investment will ensure an even more efficient scan and pick capacity as we continue to grow.”

Joe Browns already boasts the likes of The Very Group, Next, Freeman Grattan Holdings and N Brown Group among its list of retail partners.

Over the course of 2022, the retailer announced a newly created role of CEO with Peter Alecock joining from JD Sports, further extensions to its home and fashion offers, including its largest homeware offer to date, and an evolution of its brand look and feel that reached every single customer touch point.

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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