Greggs in boost from mince pies
GREGGS, the high street bakery, sold eight million mince pies over the Christmas period – up 16 per cent on the previous year.
The group, which has almost 1,500 shops, said shoppers who were kept indoors by the snow hit the high streets to do last-minute shopping.
For the five weeks to 8 January total sales rose 3.5 per cent.
Same-store sales rose 0.6 per cent, the company said.
Greggs also reported a 26 per cent increase in sales of coffee over Christmas.
Chief executive Ken McMeikan said: “I am very pleased with both our record Christmas week sales and our new shop opening programme, particularly considering how difficult the trading conditions on high streets were in the run-up to Christmas.”
He said Greggs would meet expectations for the full-year despite the snow.
In the coming year it expects to open another 80 stores creating up to 700 jobs.
McMeikan added: “I can’t speak highly enough about our people both for the smooth handling of our expansion programme and for the remarkable dedication that they have shown.”
In recent months the company has seen sales helped by its breakfast deals.