GREGGS saw sales smash £1billion for the first time last year — partly thanks to vegan sausage rolls.
Sales soared 13.5 per cent and profits by almost a third to £108.3million as customers took to the meat-free option.
The chain also opened 97 more bakeries than it closed and now has 2,050 shops across the UK.
But last month’s storms hit sales, and boss Roger Whiteside warned that coronavirus was a worry.
The chief exec yesterday hailed Greggs’ “exceptional progress” in 2019 and said the firm expected to thrive again this year — and would be investing.
He said more vegan versions of popular lines were on the cards as the no-meat, no-dairy range had been one of Greggs’ “most successful” in recent years.
It includes the sausage roll, launched last January, meatless steak bake and doughnuts. Cash will also be spent on coffee machines.
'BIG PROBLEMS'
Greggs overtook Starbucks last year to become No.3 in the UK takeaway coffee league.
But Mr Whiteside said the coronavirus was causing “uncertainty”.
He said Greggs would pay staff who self-isolate — but the policy could be reviewed if the virus became a “big problem”.
Mr Whiteside added that the storms hit sales after a “very strong start” to 2020.
Vegan balls
IKEA is to start selling vegan meatballs in all its UK stores.
The meat and dairy-free snack will be made from pea protein, oats, apples and potatoes.
The flat-pack firm says the balls will be 96 per cent more eco-friendly than the meat counterpart it offers. Shoppers can also take freezer packs home.
The 22 UK Ikea restaurants will stock them from August.
Ikea Food’s Michael La Cour said: “We see a growing demand from our customers to have access to more sustainable food.”
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Vegan doughnuts and Welsh cakes ran out after a bakery and distribution site in Wales was flooded.
Around 40 stores were closed for “three or four days” after the closure hit supplies.
Even so, like-for-like sales in shops rose by 7.5 per cent in the nine weeks to the end of last month.
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