Waitrose is launching a new YouTube series as it looks to reach younger shoppers and expand its food content strategy.

The company said the 15-minute episodes, which will launch in mid-June, will feature Waitrose chefs and food developers sharing recipe ideas, flavour pairings and cooking techniques.

The John Lewis Partnership-owned supermarket said the launch formed part of a wider “multi-platform entertainment strategy” designed to bring its food expertise to new audiences.

The move comes as YouTube continues to grow its reach in the UK. According to Barb figures cited by The Times, the platform overtook the BBC for monthly viewers in December, reaching 51.9 million British viewers compared with the BBC’s 50.9 million.

Waitrose, which has traditionally appealed to older and more affluent households, is looking to broaden its customer base among Gen Z and millennial shoppers.

The grocer said it now had the largest YouTube subscriber base of any UK supermarket.

The new series follows Food Lovers Uncut, a creator-led video format hosted by food influencer Will Hughes, which takes viewers inside the kitchens of celebrity food fans.

Waitrose has also built its presence in audio through Dish, its podcast hosted by Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, which launched in 2022.

The retailer said Dish listening numbers had risen 35 per cent year on year, while almost 30 per cent of its UK podcast listeners and 35 per cent of its YouTube viewers were aged under 35.

Waitrose chief customer officer Nathan Ansell said shoppers were increasingly looking for “ideas, inspiration and expertise” alongside the products they buy.

“Our commitment to food storytelling stretches back decades and today we’re bringing that expertise to new formats including podcasts and video,” he said.