Waitrose has expanded its No.1 premium Indian ready meal range, launching seven new products across main meals, sides and snacks.
The new range includes a Ruby Chicken Masala, Slow Cooked Beef Madras, Keralan Fish Curry, Gunpowder Potatoes, Slow Cooked Black Dal, Jewelled Pilau Rice, and Chicken Tikka Samosa with a tamarind and date dip.
It comes as searches on Waitrose.com show that ‘Indian meal for two’ and ‘Indian food’ is up 315% and 69% respectively, compared to this time last month.
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Meanwhile, in the past week, searches on Waitrose.com for ‘Indian ready meals’ has risen 81% as customers increasingly seek ‘fakeaways’.
On social media platform TikTok, searches for ‘Indian curry’ are up 60%, while searches for ‘comfort meals’ have seen a 91% uplift in the past week.
Waitrose product developer for Indian ready meals Manisha Kotecha said: “Due to the growing appetite for gourmet ready meals, we have launched a premium Indian ready meal range at Waitrose, designed to allow customers to enjoy the flavours of this cuisine. Our products are made with quality ingredients and spices, focusing on taste and authenticity with every dish.”
In June, Waitrose relaunched its premium No.1 range with nearly 200 new and improved products. The line, which now includes over 600 items, offers premium ready meals, dips, pasta & sauces, coffee, desserts, bakery treats, as well as fresh meat and fish.
Just last month, the retailer also expanded its No.1 confectionery range with 27 new and improved products across chocolate boxes, filled chocolate bars, truffles and nougat.
