As lead consultant to Aldi Stores Ltd, one of the world’s largest food retailers, Waring and Netts have provided architectural, building surveying and research and development services since 1991. During this time, in excess of sixty stores have been developed in an area stretching from the Scottish Borders to Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Originally built using traditional construction techniques, the latest stores incorporate sophisticated prefabricated shell components imported from Europe, and use a broad palette of finishes to suit the context. As a logical extension to the development process, Matrix Construction Management was established by the practice in 2003, to provide full in-house construction management and procurement facilities for Aldi store developments. A current major expansion programme involves the development of a minimum of six new stores per year in the North of England, as well as significantly extending the majority of existing premises over the next three years. In addition, Aldi’s recent projects have dramatically increased in scale, the latest schemes being mixed use, incorporating residential, office and hotel developments.