British supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced that it is expanding its partnership with confectioner Patisserie Valerie to 31 more bakery counters in its supermarkets across the UK.
After what the top UK retailer describes as 'a successful trial', it has decided to increase the total of in-store bakery counters offering the café chain's patisserie and cakes to 70 by the end of September.
According to Sainsbury's this marks its desire to 'to bring customers a distinct, differentiated and convenient choice of quality food for every occasion.'
A Royal Success
Explaining the expansion, Sainsbury's cites the brand's performance during seasonal events and special celebrations, such as the Royal Wedding weekend, when nearly 800 Patisserie Valerie limited edition lemon and elderflower cupcakes (mimicking the flavour of the Royal Wedding cake) were sold.
On Father’s Day, Patisserie Valerie product sales rose by more than 40%, compared with the usual Sunday trade.
The confectioner wasn't the only one boosted by the boon of the wedding. British retail sales jumped for a second month in a row in May, far outstripping expectations as the royal event and warm weather helped shoppers overcome a winter slump.
Scrumptious Convenience
Reacting to the announcement, Patisserie Valerie's CEO Paul May and Sainsbury's director of fresh food, Adrian Cook, underlined the complementary nature of the companies' relationship.
"This is an amazing opportunity due to the convenience it provides for our customers, when opting to purchase and collect our scrumptious gateaux," May said.
Cook added, "Customers love the convenience of being able to buy everything they need for a celebration quickly, easily and all under one roof, including delicious Patisserie Valerie products."
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Matthieu Chassain. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
