Waitrose has relaunched its premium own label range No.1 Waitrose & Partners.
As part of the “root and branch” overhaul the supermarket has refreshed the packaging and added 130 new products to the range, expanding it to 600 in total.
The new products include pasta sauces, bakery, coffee, booze, ready meals and desserts, which will be rolled into stores nationwide between June and October. An additional 40 products had been updated and improved.
“It’s probably one of the biggest brand relaunches in UK grocery this year,” Waitrose customer director Nathan Ansell told The Grocer.
Waitrose last revamped the range in 2019, however Ansell said the “timing was perfect” for number of reasons.
Customer insight had shown that shoppers “valued” the range, particularly the dine in meal deals. They’d also responded well to recent new innovation and launches within in the range, Ansell said.
“We felt there was a real opportunity now to put a really strong spotlight on the proposition, and really put some focus on it throughout the year, to really build on the growth that we’ve already been,” Ansell said.
Waitrose would also advertise the brand “for the first time in a long time,” Ansell said.
New products include a No.1 Heather Honey Smoked Salmon, No.1 Croissant Cups as well as a new No.1 Tomato and Vodka Pasta Sauce. Waitrose has also introduced new wine and spirit lines to the range, including a No.1 Blonde Cream Liqueur, inspired by it’s a Blonde Chocolate bar also in the range, as well as a No.1 Cotes Du Rhone.
The previously silver packaging had been refreshed to provide an “even more premium” feel to the products, which was “distinctly different” from Waitrose’s core offer.
Waitrose to open first new stores ’shortly’
It’s the latest in a string of NPD and launches by Waitrose over the past few months, following JLP’s return to profit in March. April saw the launch of a new exclusive ingredients range with Yotam Ottolenghi.
Waitrose’s first café concession with bakery chain Gail’s opened at its Canary Wharf store last week. Shortly after the brand announced the acquistion of the meal kit delivery company Dishpatch.
The partnership has set aside a £1 billion to invest in opening new Waitrose stores, and refurbish a further 80 more over the next three years.
The first of Waitrose’s new stores would open “very shortly” Ansell confirmed. The relaunch of the MyWaitrose loyalty scheme, as a pan partnership proposition that combines both the John Lewis and Waitrose is also “on track” to be launched in autumn, Ansell said.
“What you are seeing is a really very deliberate strategy from us,” Ansell said.
“It’s all about our competitive advantage, around passionate partners serving food lovers as our target customer, with a very clear plan for customer growth.”
If you’ve got a fantastic new product or packaging innovation, we want to hear about it! The deadline for The Grocer New Product & Packaging Awards is 24 June, so get your entries in. Visit thegrocernewproductawards.co.uk to enter, buy tickets or to enquire about sponsorship opportunities.
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