The staff of Greggs will share a £7 million payout after a “exceptional year” for the high street baker which saw the launch of its much-hyped vegan sausage roll.
Sales rose 13.5 per cent over the period, compared to a 7.2 per cent rise in 2018. As a result, underlying pre-tax profit for the full year is expected to be higher than previously forecast, the company said in a trading update on Wednesday.
The release of Greggs’ vegan sausage roll last January saw the company’s profits soar more than 52 per cent to £36.7 million for the 26 weeks to June 29 2019.
The controversial pastry sparked national debate, with Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan claiming he "vomited" after trying it.
“We delivered a strong finish to what has been an exceptional year for Greggs,” chief executive Roger Whiteside said.
“The major investments we have made in recent years to make Greggs an attractive choice in the food-on-the-go market are delivering.”
He added: “I am delighted to announce that we will also be making a special additional payment to all of our colleagues across the business who have worked so hard to deliver this success in what has been a phenomenal year.”
Earlier this month, the late-night launch of Greggs’ vegan steak bake was met with 20-minute queues, after over 300,000 people signed up to take part in Veganuary.
Veganuary is an increasingly popular trend where participants vow to go vegan for January.
