Malcolm Walker’s son is joining the family business - as a checkout operator.

Richard Walker, 31, currently works as MD of a property development company based in Poland. He will start filling freezers and working on the till at Iceland Foods on 6 August.

Walker plans to spend a year working in stores to see if he enjoys the retail business before deciding whether to join permanently.

“I don’t want any fuss and I am making no firm commitments,” Walker told The Grocer.

“But the best way to find out if I enjoy retailing is to put myself at the heart of the business: in the stores, on the checkouts and stacking shelves. Then I’ll see how it goes. I’m really looking forward to getting an insight into how Iceland operates as a business.”

Meanwhile, following the opening of a 2,500 sq ft store last January in the Czech Republic with a local franchise partner, Iceland Foods is set to continue its expansion by opening its first store - in Iceland.

However, it hasn’t yet set a timetable for the opening.