The nation’s favourite griddle cake is having a culinary moment, with sales of the Halloween themed crumpkin crumpets up 44%. Driven by viral social media hacks and inventive home cooks, this iconic nook-and-cranny staple is being transformed into high-protein bakes, quick air-fryer pizzas, and indulgent evening treats. Waitrose.com search data reflects the rising appetite for reinventing this classic, with interest in Overnight Crumpet recipes surging by 115% over the past month, alongside a 105% leap for sweet hits like our Clementine Crumpet Baba. From sweet "Frumpets" stuffed with Biscoff to savory air-fryer Cheese & Marmite crumpet loaves, the versatile British favourite has officially transformed from a routine breakfast into a morning-to-night showstopper.

Bringing the magic of coastal dining straight to your kitchen, Waitrose has partnered with seafood champion Rick Stein to launch his first-ever supermarket range. Designed to make cooking exceptional, responsibly sourced British seafood entirely stress-free, the nine-piece collection blends Stein’s decades of culinary expertise with market-first innovations. From aromatic Monkfish & Whiting Indonesian Curry (£16) and zesty Cornish Sardines (£6.50) to decadent festive showstoppers like Lobster & Crab Thermidor Shells (£12) landing in December, every dish showcases the finest British catches with restaurant-quality flair.

Waitrose is expanding its 'Made Without Nitrites' range with two supermarket firsts: a Free Range British Unsmoked Gammon Joint and British Smoked Bacon Lardons. As food lovers increasingly seek clean-label options with minimalist ingredients, Waitrose has doubled this collection over the past year, driving a 34% surge in demand. From crisping up lardons for midweek meals to serving a succulent weekend roast, these new preservative-free additions allow shoppers to enjoy their favourite pork cuts without compromising on rich, classic flavour.

As yellow and amber weather warnings swept the country with Storms Austen and Boelo, shoppers traded weather maps for the comfort aisle, retreating into early hibernation. Sales of classic comfort bakes surged at Waitrose, led by the Chicken & Gravy Puff Pie (+22%), Steak & Craft Ale Pie (+20%), and the Chicken, Ham Hock & Leek Pie (+20%), alongside a 55% jump in demand for Slow Cooked Ham Hock. For those keen to roll up their sleeves, visits to Waitrose.com told the same cosy story: overall searches for pie recipes rose by 122%, with fish pie (+140%), chicken pie (+109%), and cottage pie (+101%) topping the weekend wishlists. 

We hosted our Autumn Beer Wine and Spirits tasting this month, proudly showcasing over 160 standout products across our range. Highlights included our new Leckford gin and vodka, masterfully distilled using regeneratively grown wheat sourced directly from the Waitrose farm. Our premium No.1 range continues to thrive with brilliant new additions. Festive spirits also took centre stage, led by our decadent No.1 Butterscotch Cream and No.1 Dark Chocolate & Orange liqueurs, as well as exciting new launches like the spicy Picoso, brought to life through our BrandsNew programme.

We’ve launched some new, exciting products at Waitrose this month including new launches from House of Cinn, Freja Bone Broth Soups, Intune CBD drinks, Grass & Co, Counter Culture, Aqua Glow, Griddle Bakery and Hidden Fruits.

The Waitrose communications team hosted a press trip to the 2,800-acre Leckford Farm in Hampshire, the only UK supermarket-owned farm and vineyard. Highlighting its 10-year Farming for Nature programme, the event featured a biomethane-powered trailer tour, apple picking, and tastings at the Regenified-certified vineyard. Demonstrating scalable regenerative agriculture, Waitrose uses insights from Leckford to help more than 1,500 British farmers transition to nature-friendly practices by 2030 and drive industry-wide collaboration. 

As 62% of shoppers swap expensive restaurant visits for high-end home dining, budget-conscious food lovers are mastering the art of the "high-low fakeaway", elevating affordable, low-cost comfort dishes with high-premium luxury touches to capture the thrill of dining out. Celebrating a decade as Waitrose’s fastest-growing brand, and now shopped by over 75% of customers, the No.1 range is expanding with 80 new products. The flagship range boasts over 840 offerings across fresh, chilled, and grocery categories.

Move over pumpkin spice: the gourmet s’more has officially taken over as the ultimate flavour trend of the season. Driven by a wave of nostalgic warmth and US autumnal influences, searches for "smores" on Waitrose.com have skyrocketed by +921% over the past month, with food lovers eager to elevate the campfire classic into decadent cookies, cinnamon rolls, and gourmet cakes. To help shoppers embrace the trend at home, Waitrose has introduced delicious new additions including the S'mores Celebration Cake and the Gingerbread & White Chocolate Cookie Mallow, delivering the perfect balance of deep, caramelised sweetness and rich, comforting flavour. 

Waitrose is enhancing its in-store café experience across the UK through an expanded partnership with Union Coffee, bringing an authentic specialty coffee house feel to every location. Created exclusively for Waitrose shoppers, the new 100% Arabica Blend features sustainably sourced beans from Peru, Brazil, and Nicaragua, small-batch roasted to deliver deep espresso notes and rich, sweet milk-based drinks. To ensure exceptional quality in every cup, Waitrose Partners are undergoing expert barista training led by Union. The bespoke blend will also be available for customers to purchase and enjoy at home in the coming months.

Crafted in small batches alongside Tom Parker Creamery using free-range West Country milk, the new No.1 Gingerbread flavoured milk is a must have for the festive season. It contains zero artificial additives, is under 5% sugar, and ideal served warm, with a shot of espresso for a quick gingerbread latte.