A Norfolk retailer has invested millions of pounds into its Snetterton warehouse after achieving accelerated growth during the pandemic.
QD stores, which has its head office based on Barrack Street in Norwich, is expanding its distribution hub and employing eight new workers. This will add to the 80 staff who already work at the site.
The family-run firm launched its first shop in Norwich in 1985 and has since grown to 50 stores across eastern England, 16 of which are located in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Its brands now include Cherry Lane garden centres and Lathams of Potter Heigham, along with QD.
Karl Ottolangui, group operations director at QD Stores, said that the company had originally decided to expand its warehouse by 50,000sqft in 2020, but this was put on hold due to Covid.
During the pandemic the firm, which had been experiencing "steady growth" for the last 10 years, saw its growth "accelerate", which Mr Ottolangui puts down to people buying more garden supplies when staying at home during lockdowns.
The company, which specialises in selling household goods at value for money prices, is also anticipating that demand for its products will continue to increase due to the cost of living crisis.
It has recently opened a new store in Essex and acquired a garden centre in Essex and one in Lincolnshire.
This led to a decision to double the size of the expansion of its distribution hub.
Further QD stores and Cherry Lane garden centres are in the pipeline.
Mr Ottolangui said: "Norfolk has always been the heartland for our main operations and Snetterton remains the ideal location for our distribution centre.
"We are pleased to be investing in this site and the build is progressing well.”
Completing the work on the expansion of the distribution hub was Beccles building and groundworks firm Ovamill.
James Curran, director at Ovamill, said: "This is an exciting opportunity for us to be involved in a project of this size, with one of the region's best-known brands."
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