Australians will be able to tuck into Heston Blumenthal’s popular Christmas puddings this year after Waitrose won its first major listing down under.

The ‘hidden orange’ pudding, which sold out in the UK weeks before Christmas last year and the year before, has gone on sale in Coles alongside Heston’s puff pastry pine-scented mince pies.

Waitrose said it hoped Heston’s Christmas products would prove a hit with Australians and lead to more own-label listings in the country.

Prior to this year, Waitrose’s exports to Australia were limited to products from the Duchy Originals from Waitrose range, which were sold through specialist food shops.

“We see the Australian market as a growth opportunity for the Waitrose brand,” said a Waitrose spokeswoman. “Heston is well known in Australia and we hope the potential success of the products will lead to further opportunities for more Waitrose own-label ranges there.”

This year, to keep up with high levels of expected demand, Waitrose has ordered two-and-a-half times as many Heston Christmas puddings as last year and nine times as many as in 2010, when the pudding first appeared on shelf.

In 2010, shoppers desperate to get their hands on the puds bid up to £250 for them on auction site eBay.

The retailer has also added to the Heston from Waitrose range of Christmas products this year. New arrivals to the festive line-up include a chocolate Christmas cake and spiced shortcrust mince pies.

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