Waitrose diversifies its premium Indian ready meal selection to include seven new offerings across main courses, sides, and snacks.
- There is a significant rise in demand for Indian meals, with related searches on Waitrose.com increasing sharply in recent weeks.
- Waitrose is responding to a 315% surge in searches for ‘Indian meal for two’ and a 69% rise in ‘Indian food’ searches.
- The launch is aligned with a growing trend among consumers seeking ‘fakeaways’, as reflected by an 81% increase in searches for ‘Indian ready meals’.
- Product developer Manisha Kotecha highlights the focus on quality ingredients and authenticity in this new range.
Waitrose has made a strategic expansion to its No.1 premium Indian ready meal collection, unveiling seven new products that cater to the growing consumer interest in authentic Indian cuisine. These newly introduced items encompass a variety of staple and innovative dishes including Ruby Chicken Masala, Slow Cooked Beef Madras, Keralan Fish Curry, Gunpowder Potatoes, Slow Cooked Black Dal, Jewelled Pilau Rice, and Chicken Tikka Samosa with a tamarind and date dip, thereby enriching the selection for its clientele.
Market trends indicate a robust increase in the demand for Indian cuisine, which is reflected in the 315% rise in searches for ‘Indian meal for two’ and a 69% increase in ‘Indian food’ searches on Waitrose.com in the past month alone. This shift in consumer behaviour signifies a growing preference for at-home dining experiences that emulate restaurant quality, commonly referred to as ‘fakeaways’.
The introduction of these new meals is a move designed to address this rising consumer demand, particularly as Waitrose.com also reported an 81% increase in searches for ‘Indian ready meals’ over the past week. Parallel to these findings, there is a notable increase in social media discussions; TikTok, for instance, observed a 60% increase in ‘Indian curry’ searches, alongside a 91% uplift in ‘comfort meals’ searches, showcasing a broader culinary trend towards this segment.
Manisha Kotecha, Waitrose’s product developer for the Indian ready meal range, emphasised the dedication to bringing high-quality gourmet cuisine to customers. She stated, ‘Due to the growing appetite for gourmet ready meals, we have launched a premium Indian ready meal range at Waitrose, designed to allow customers to enjoy the flavours of this cuisine. Our products are made with quality ingredients and spices, focusing on taste and authenticity with every dish.’ This initiative is in conjunction with Waitrose’s recent relaunch of its No.1 range, which saw the introduction of almost 200 new and improved products, reflecting an overall strategy to enhance consumer offerings through premium quality goods.
Waitrose’s expansion of its Indian ready meal range signifies a calculated alignment with consumer trends towards gourmet and convenient home dining solutions.
