Waitrose has teamed up with Danish bakery café chain Ole & Steen to expand its in-store bakery offering with an range of sweet pastries.
Launching at 35 stores and online, the exclusive partnership is aimed at further accelerating growth at the high-end retailer as well as bringing thousands more customers to the Ole & Steen brand.
The range includes a Cardamom Bun, a Maple & Pecan Social Slice, a Chocolate Swirl, and Ole & Steen’s signature Cinnamon Social Slice, which can also be purchased in a sharing format: the Cinnamon Social Half.
Among the Waitrose stores introducing the pastries is Newbury, which has recently been refurbished at a new ‘Home of Food Lovers’ concept store to trial ideas and technology such as electronic shelf labels and handheld devices to check stock levels and answer customer queries.
“With their emphasis on quality, craftsmanship and respect for baking traditions, Ole & Steen complements and elevates our existing patisserie selection,” commented Kate Rider, Waitrose’ patisserie and in-store bakery buyer. “Driving newness and innovation is a key part of our strategy and we’re confident Ole & Steen will attract even more food loving customers.”
The Danish bakery’s entry into Waitrose forms part of its BrandsNew innovation programme, designed to attract and support exciting and exclusive retail brands. Recently, the initiative brought to shelves the likes of Toast x Jason’s Collab IPA (a craft ale made from surplus Jason’s Sourdough), Rhythm 108 preserves, Match Tonic Water, and Torres Potato Crisps.
Currently operates 26 stores in and around London, Ole & Steen’s latest financial results for the year ending 31 December 2024 reported a 5% increase in turnover up to £36.7m. It is the trading name in English speaking countries of Danish chain Lagkagehuset, which was formed in 2008 through a merger of Ole Kristoffersen and Steen Skallebaek’s bakeries across Denmark.
“Our founders set out with a simple dream: to make better baked products easily accessible for everyone,” said Ole & Steen UK MD Graham Hollinshead. “Rooted in our proud Danish heritage, we’ve always believed that quality and craft should be shared widely. Partnering with Waitrose is a milestone we’re truly proud of – it allows us to bring our passion for exceptional baking to even more people across the UK.”
Waitrose expanded the self-serve patisserie of its in-store bakeries just over a year ago, adding new sweet treats such as a Tiramisu bun, Cinnamon Croissant Cups, Pistachio Croissant, and Apple Tarte Tatin Turnover. It also partnered with The Nero Group on a new café concept launched last December.
The retailer is no strange to bakery brand collaborations, opening a Gail’s Bakery takeaway outlet inside its Canary Wharf store in May 2024 which followed the rollout of branded Gail’s fixtures at 64 sites the year prior. Waitrose was also the first supermarket to give listings to the Wildfarmed sourdough range and Crosstown doughnuts.
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