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Searches for protein pancakes have skyrocketed 95% with spikes for spelt crepe recipes, ricotta & cottage cheese up 320%, 133%, 118% ahead of Shrove Tuesday
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Sales for kefir and cottage cheese are up 164% and 102% compared to this time last year
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Amid wider trend on socials, with high protein pancakes and whey protein pancake searches on TikTok soaring over 400%
This pancake day, Waitrose reports a major shift toward ‘functional stacks’ as customers move beyond just sugar and lemon, for protein packed and high fibre alternatives amid a wider health drive.
Social media trends are driving the shift, with shoppers embracing everything from protein shake pancakes to cottage cheese pancake bars and buckwheat blends.
Dr Joanne Lunn, Head of Health and Nutrition at Waitrose says, “We’re seeing food lovers reimagine pancake day as an opportunity for ‘functional fueling’. Whether it’s incorporating protein-rich cottage cheese and ricotta, a dollop of nut butter, or opting for high-fibre flours such as spelt and buckwheat to make your pancakes, shoppers are creating what we’re coining - 'The Functional Stack.' Aside from delicious taste, these ingredients also improve the macronutrient balance of the dish, turning a traditional treat into a more nutritionally-diverse meal that aligns with a modern, health-first lifestyle.”
In the last week, searches on Waitrose.com for:
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Protein pancakes +95%
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Cottage cheese +118%
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Ricotta cheese +133%
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Protein milk +84%
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Spelt flour +25%
In the last week, recipe searches on Waitrose.com for:
Compared to this time last year, sales for:
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Organic Chia Seeds +28%
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Waitrose Spelt Flour +30%
Stephen Parkins-Knight, Senior Brand Innovation Chef at Waitrose says, “Cottage cheese and ricotta have officially gone sweet. No longer sidelined in savoury wraps, these dairy staples are now central to the high-protein movement. Social media creators have discovered their potential in pancakes. By blending the curds into a silky base, food lovers are achieving a delicious high-protein result that satisfies the sweet tooth, effectively rebranding a humble staple as the ultimate functional ingredient.”
Social media is playing a significant role in shaping the evolution of the humble pancake.TikTok is leading the charge, with 'functional' formats taking centre stage as searches skyrocket for:
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High protein pancakes +429%
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Whey protein pancakes +1000%
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Protein shake pancakes +807%
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Pancake bars (cottage cheese) +109%
This aligns with a broader shift in the dining scene, where 'functional stacks' are becoming menu staples. From Where The Pancakes Are and their buttermilk-buckwheat blends to Stack & Still’s dedicated protein mixes, the pancake is being redefined. Even savoury innovations at My Old Dutch Pancakes - featuring Chilli Con Carne and Full English toppings - show that customers are looking for more substance from their stacks.
Notes to Editors
About Waitrose & Partners
Run by over 45,000 passionate Partners, Waitrose has been serving customers for 120 years and offers extraordinary products in our 317 shops and on Waitrose.com. Inspiring food discovery, our expert Partners run almost 800 specialist food service counters in store, where customers can shop a variety of the best quality meat, fresh fish, dry aged beef, sushi, as well as cheese. Our Beer, Wine and Spirits team features the largest number of Masters of Wine of any UK supermarket and we sell nearly 3,000 different wines, beers, ciders, spirits as well as no and low drinks in our shops, on Waitrose.com and Waitrose Cellar. We are committed to selling products which have been responsibly sourced, grown using the very best sustainable farming methods, some of which are grown or trialled on our very own farm, the Leckford Estate. In 2024, Waitrose was granted the Royal Warrant of Appointment to be Grocers and Wine & Spirits Merchant to His Majesty King Charles III.
