Waitrose to roll out dry-aged beef cabinets to more stores across the country

Waitrose is rolling out dry-aged beef counters in more stores across the country this year following a “successful placement” in 36 initial shops.

The supermarket is launching the counters in 14 stores throughout the year, including in Chester, Yateley, Eastbourne and Gloucester Road.

“We’re committed to making our shops unique spaces which inspire our customers, from the variety of products we offer at good value, to the quality of the service we provide,” said Waitrose foodservice development manager Maryanne Alexander.

“The extension of our dry-aged beef cabinets is part of our commitment to the service we provide our customers.”

The 14 selected branches are set to undergo renovation this year. The dry-aged beef cabinets are just one of the new features being added.

The larger stores “are likely to have a dry-aged beef counter added as part of a full counter offering”, Waitrose said.

The retailer also said it was looking to tap the pandemic-driven trend that saw many shoppers wanting to create restaurant-quality dishes at home.

Stores that currently have dry-aged beef cabinets had seen “strong sales” in both sirloin and ribeye steaks, as well as rib joints.

“We know that customers using these shops particularly enjoy shopping from our counters and tapping into the expert knowledge which our partners have around our products, from the best cuts to use for specific dishes to how to prepare and cook the meat they’ve chosen,” Alexander said.