Cornish craft bakery Rowe’s has joined with Asda to launch the supermarket’s first in-store savoury bakery concession.

It was officially opened on 16 July at the Asda store in St Austell, Cornwall, and features a 12ft long hot counter and 12ft ambient sections, as well as a food-to-go offering at the front of the store.

Asda’s change manager Roy Clark said the supermarket had trialled concessions in other areas, which had proved popular and was keen to develop an offer in the bakery sector. “Sales of local products have increased by 41% at Asda this year and this venture with Rowe’s demonstrates our commitment to a partnership approach to working with West Country brands.”

The venture builds on Rowe’s previous relationship with Asda in the West Country, which has seen the bakery supply breads, cakes and pasties to the supermarket for the past 15 years. Rowe’s also supplies frozen unbaked savouries nationally for both the in-store bakeries and Asda Cafés.

Paul Pearce, director of marketing at Rowe’s, said the concession would allow the firm to put its products in front of the consumer in a different environment to its high street shops, and there were no plans for more concessions. “Its performance will be carefully reviewed and any steps to take this format forward will be determined by its success,” he added.