Housewares Business-to-business magazine for housewares retailers and their suppliers
Total sales at Waitrose (excluding petrol) were 6.5% higher than last year in the week to September 28, with some shoppers feeling autumnal and others holding on to the last days of late summer as temperatures rose above average for the week.
In the week that saw ‘Lima’ awarded a Michelin star – the first Peruvian restaurant in the UK to achieve this accolade – there are signs that the trend for South American cuisine is catching on with shoppers, the upmarket grocery chain said.
Quinoa sales climbed 29% and staples such as butter beans and broad beans were up 5% and 10% respectively. Limes – an essential addition to South American recipes – were up by 29% and sales of the favourite accompaniment, sweetcorn, were up by 167%.
Jamie’s ‘Money Saving Meals’ prompted a surge in the popularity of frozen vegetables after his cauliflower and broccoli cheese recipe recommended using frozen alternatives. Frozen broccoli and cauliflower were up by 8% and 39% respectively.
Customers have also been enjoying seasonal apple varieties, with sales of the Best of British apple pack increasing by 900% since the promotion started. As the season progresses, the varieties in the pack will change to ensure that the apple of the moment is on offer.
The mild September temperatures encouraged some warmer weather trends, with juice and ice cream both up by 10% and salad up 11%.
