nnounced plans to expand its essential Waitrose private-label range.Launched in March 2009, the essential Waitrose line now has 2,100 products with nearly 500 more to be added to the range in the near future.
Waitrose plans to evolve the billion-pound brand further over the course of the next twelve months.
Nearly eight out of 10 shopping baskets at the supermarket now contain at least one essential Waitrose item, said the upmarket grocer.
According to Waitrose, the average shopper now buys more than five items in the range on each shopping trip.
"The essential Waitrose brand has become a graphic illustration of how customer tastes have changed over the last half decade,” said Waitrose marketing director Rupert Thomas, adding that if it's "essential to our customers, it's essential to us".
"When we created essential Waitrose, we wanted to offer our customers great value without compromising on the integrity and quality expected from Waitrose - and that's a formula which our customers have embraced," he explained.
As well its ethical credentials - such as high animal welfare and sustainably sourced fish - essential Waitrose is differentiated by the fact that it still manages to be stylish and contemporary, said Thomas.
"It's a value brand which you're not afraid to serve up at a dinner party - even in its original packaging."
The supermarket is also growing the essential brand overseas with it now exporting to 50 countries across the globe.
Waitrose recently announced its first export deal to South Africa with more than 250 of the supermarket's own-brand groceries now available in Food Lover's Market stores.
Earlier this week, Waitrose reported a sales rise of 4.9% to £119.73 million for the week to 15 March, while year-on-year sales at Waitrose.com soared by almost 75%.
