Sainsbury’s is opening a new ‘Pud You Dare’ café inspired by Christmas pudding later this month as it looks to boost popularity for the classic festive dessert.
Open only on November 24th and 25th, the café is completely free, and for every attendee Sainsbury’s will donate £3 to Comic Relief.
In order to get “pud back on the table” the big 4 grocer is launching a new Caramelised Biscuit Christmas Pudding as recent data suggests one in five Brits – and almost a third of Gen Z (31%) – believe the traditional Christmas Pudding is “on track for extinction” and will disappear within three years.
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Opening in Holborn, London, the first of its kind café will give “pudding lovers, sceptics and haters the chance to enjoy several Christmas pudding options that are available at Sainsbury’s,” the supermarket said.
Customers will be able to sample Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference 18 Month Matured Christmas Pudding, alongside the brand-new Taste the Difference Caramelised Biscuit Pudding – as seen in the Sainsbury’s 2022 Christmas advert.
The festive desserts will be complemented by a range of seasonal beverages, including Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Spiced Ginger Biscuit Irish Cream Liqueur and Chocolate Mulled Wine.
“The once loved Christmas pudding is at risk of being wiped out across the nation, and we’re making it our mission to ensure it firmly has its place at the dinner table this Christmas Day,” director of product and innovation at Sainsbury’s, Claire Hughes said.
She added: “That’s why we’re encouraging all generations to try the Christmas classic and save it from extinction. For both long-standing and younger pud sceptics, we’ve also launched a new caramelised biscuit pud this year, giving it a modern twist with salted caramel and biscuit crumbs.
“We’re sure it will be a hit with everyone at the table – even the pud purists.”
The news comes as Sainsbury’s reports a decrease in profits for the six months ended 12 September 2022, as it shields customers from rising costs amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
