UK supermarket Waitrose has released its new Christmas range for 2021. In total, the range includes 20 new vegan products, with Waitrose continuing its first-to-market strategy with the introduction of a vegan lobster roll.
As reported in January 2020, Waitrose successfully introduced first-to-market products, including Vegan No Egg Fried Rice and Crisp-Crumbed Fishless Goujons made from banana blossom. In September 2021, Waitrose continued its vegan first-to-market strategy when its largest-ever vegan and vegetarian launches included several first-to-market products in the supermarket prepared meal sector, such as the Crispy No Beef with Sweet Chilli Sauce.
The Christmas No Lobster Marie Rose Roll is filled with roasted king oyster mushroom and vegan Marie Rose sauce in a vegan brioche-style roll with semi-dried tomato and lovage. Other vegan offerings in the expanded Christmas line include a vegan Jewelled Roast with a fruity centre and a vegan winter pudding.
Waitrose expects successful sales this Christmas season and recognizes an emerging trend to prepare early for Christmas with its food page seeing views increase by 26% compared to last year. Director of Own Brands Waitrose Natalie Mitchell comments: “The uncertainty of last Christmas has definitely had an effect on how our customers want to spend the upcoming festive season. As the majority of people weren’t able to celebrate with their loved ones as planned in 2020, they are focusing on making this Christmas as wonderful as possible.”
Giving an outlook to 2022, Waitrose’s new Food & Drink report lists the 5:2 Veg Diet, which involves eating a vegetarian or vegan diet for five days a week, as one of the key trends for 2022, noting: “Vegetarianism and veganism continues to dominate our menus.”
