UNITED KINGDOM – Morrisons is expanding its presence in the U.K.’s convenience store market, with expectations to have 300 M stores in operation by 2015.

“By the end of the year, we will have 100 M locals across the country. And this rate of expansion — an average of two new shops every week — will continue into 2014,” said Morrisons CEO Dalton Philips during a speech on July 11.

Dalton’s comments come on the heels of an A announcement by Sainsbury's that it too is planning to opening more convenience stores than supermarkets, reports UK Business Property.

The news source continues that U.K.-based supermarkets Tesco and J Sainsbury have “massively increased their convenience store estates in recent years, confident they can pick up market share in a sector dominated by small and independent operators.”