Greggs CEO reveals chain’s unique plan for the vegan sausage roll was one thing VERY completely different – and followers won’t be glad

Greggs’ CEO has revealed that regardless of being a beloved staple on the bakery now, there have been initially low hopes for the vegan sausage roll when it first got here out in 2019.

Talking to meals critic Grace Dent on episode two of Channel 5’s documentary, Inside Greggs: 24/7, which airs on Friday at 8pm, Roisin Currie admitted that the pastry’s success was past unprecedented.

‘Now apparently after we launched that product, our expectation is it will be a rotational product,’ she admitted.

‘Which suggests it will in all probability be within the store for about 16 weeks and the gross sales would not attain the extent to be, you recognize, maintained as a daily product.

‘We would take it off sale and we would carry it again at a future cut-off date.’

Greggs’ CEO has revealed that regardless of being a beloved staple on the bakery now, there have been initially low hopes for the vegan sausage roll when it first got here out in 2019. Inventory picture used

However to everybody’s shock, the brand new bakes have been completely flying off the cabinets.

Roisin recounted their monumental success following the launch in the beginning of 2019 – designed to coincide with Veganuary.

She additionally laughed whereas remembering the viral second which noticed Greggs social media workforce butt heads with Piers Morgan, who on the time was a number on Good Morning Britain.

He had famously tried the vegan sausage roll stay on air – and spewed it right into a bin.

Talking to Grace Dent (proper) on episode two of Channel 5’s documentary, Inside Greggs: 24/7, Roisin Currie (left) admitted that the enduring pastry’s success was past unprecedented

‘It completely stinks and tastes disgusting,’ he raged. ‘Why would anybody eat this?’

‘He does it, he goes mad, he places his tweet out, and the workforce that is on social media that day simply responds with the, “Hey Piers, we have been anticipating you”,’ Roisin advised Grace.

‘After which the dialog simply went viral on the again of that.

‘After which what occurred was, we had the product on the cabinets and when you have been a buyer at that time, in all probability over a few 4 week interval, we in all probability disenchanted you.

‘As a result of each time we received a supply of vegan sausage rolls into the store they have been bought out inside the first hour or so.’

Within the episode, Grace additionally visits a improvement lab in Newcastle as she learns how Greggs creates its insatiable treats and speaks with the corporate’s finance director. Pictured on the programme

Roisin added: ‘And as you recognize now it is form of considered one of our key promoting objects inside the vary so it by no means grew to become a rotational merchandise, it simply grew to become a staple.’

By Might of 2019, Greggs shares had soared to a file excessive on the time, after it raised its income forecasts for the third time that 12 months on the again of ‘distinctive’ gross sales.

The Excessive Avenue baker stated booming demand for its vegan sausage roll had pushed a 15.1 per cent rise in whole gross sales through the first 19 weeks of the 12 months.

Earlier this 12 months the model unveiled formidable growth plans after posting file gross sales as shoppers flock to the bakery chain for sausage rolls and different low-cost meals.

The group revealed plans to open 150 retailers a 12 months, growing its property from almost 2,330 websites to greater than 3,000.

And in addition to extending opening hours, it additionally stated it is set to trial 24-hour drive-through websites.

The growth plans got here as Greggs posted a 23 per cent rise in annual gross sales to a file £1.5billion in 2022.

Within the episode, Grace additionally visits a improvement lab in Newcastle as she learns how Greggs creates its insatiable treats and speaks with the corporate’s finance director Richard Hutton a few time when the model realized how to not do a product launch – the exhausting means.