Waitrose has ramped up its deli counter offering with 14 new own-label products and eight new branded lines.
The high-end supermarket is topping up its deli counter offering with a focus on pastry, continental meat, antipasti and salads.
The new lines include British charcuteries from Capreolus, Pished Fish gin and tonic smoked salmon, and Drinks Biscuits savoury biscuits.
The new own-label products include an array of leading lines including, jumbo Amfissa Olives, pork and apple sausage rolls, Italian spicy Calabrian spianata and Spanish snacking chorizo and fuet salami.
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“We know our customers love visiting the deli counters and we want to introduce innovative and carefully curated products in time for the peak summer season,” Waitrose product developer Simona Cohen-Vida-Welsh said to The Grocer.
“The new products are unique and will add a splash of colour and an artisanal, rustic feel to our deli counters.”
The news comes after Big 4 grocers, Sainsbury’s and Tesco closed down several hot deli counters across the UK earlier this year.
Both grocers cited a drop off in demand for hot deli counters with Tesco closing counters across 317 stores and Sainsbury’s across 34.
Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts added: “Of course, we understand this is very unsettling for our colleagues, but we must keep adapting our business to make sure we are offering customers the best possible food and drink at affordable prices.”
