WH Smith has ramped up its food offer, with its first-ever range of Christmas sandwiches.
The eight strong lineup would bring “Christmas magic” to travellers at 300 of the retailer’s travel stores, when they hit shelves this week.
The range includes “classic Christmas flavours” like the Ultimate Christmas Dinner sandwich featuring cranberry sauce, turkey, and sage & onion stuffing; a Red Leicester, Mature Cheddar & Cranberry Slaw sandwich; and a “Christmas market inspired” Brie & Cranberry Pretzel Bun.
They accompany “new flavours” such as a Merry Miso Chicken Brioche Bun, as well as a Vegan Spiced Parsnip Sandwich. All products are included in WH Smith’s meal deal.
“In my book, your first Christmas sandwich marks the true start of the festive season, and our new range is perfectly designed to get all our travelling customers into the Christmas spirit,” said Andrew Harrison, WH Smith Travel UK MD.
“This launch marks another food first for WH Smith and shows just how committed we are to growing our food credentials and offering a high-quality range for travelling customers, particularly those wanting a bit of Christmas magic on their journey.”
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It marks the latest expansion to WH Smith’s food offer following the launch of its first-ever own-label food-to-go range, Smith’s Family Kitchen, in May. The 34 products – which are manufactured by London-based Simply Lunch – include sandwiches, salads and burrito boxes.
Over the past 10 years the retailer has transitioned its business away from its historic core as a high street stationer, to instead focus on travel locations in airports and railway stations as well as hospitals. Food and drink has become an increasingly important part of that offer, and now accounts for around 15% of WH Smith Travel’s total revenue.
In the week’s following the own-label launch, WH Smith enjoyed what Harrison described as “record weeks” of food sales. It helped the retailer sell 11 million meal deals last year.
In August, WH Smith added to the offer when it opened a new hot café format, named Smith’s Kitchen, at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton.
WH Smith hinted that it would expand the category further over the next year, in response to “growing demand” from travellers for its food and drink.
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