Move over, sausage rolls. Southern Fried Chicken Goujons are in town.
Chicken goujons aren’t going to replace the humble sausage roll as Greggs’s best-seller anytime soon, but they have proved to be a hit and have helped Greggs accelerate sales in early 2024.
Greggs sales jumped 7.4% in the first 19 weeks of 2024 as the company enjoyed strong demand for Southern Fried Chicken Goujons, Southern Fried Potato Wedges, and other hot food lines.
“Gregg’s seems to be keeping up some strong momentum as sales have jumped year-on-year but moreover, there is progress behind the scenes on the production side, allowing for further growth as capacity increases,” said Adam Vettese, analyst at investment platform eToro.
“Not only a nation’s favourite for sausage rolls, Gregg’s has also widened its product range and upped delivery and app sales. This, combined with more units popping up within other units for example at petrol stations, which are not often known for their prowess in terms of food offering, means consumers can even get their savoury snack fix while filling up or on the road.”
The group opened 64 new stores gross, translating to 27 net new openings, bringing the total number of outlets to 2,500. The company forecasts 140-160 net new openings in the full year.
With cost inflation remaining steady, Greggs says full-year targets are unchanged.
