Waitrose agrees buffet deal with Eurostar

[IanXC]

Grocery chain Waitrose is making its first big foray into onboard catering with a deal to supply Eurostar buffet carriages.

The supermarket chain will start supplying the cross-Channel rail service with sandwiches, ready meals, salads and drinks from Tuesday, also marking its first big move into northern Europe.

The employee-owned grocer, part of the John Lewis Partnership, will supply all standard-class buffet cars in the Eurostar fleet with hot and cold food including mushroom risotto, chicken tikka masala, classic British sandwiches and croque monsieur grilled cheese and ham sandwiches.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/apr/28/waitrose-buffet-supply-deal-eurostar

Does anyone know if this the first time a retailer has entered into such a comprehensive agreement with a TOC?

I wonder if we will see others following if it is successful?

 

[dk1]

Cannot remember any other similar set-up in the UK. Sounds good to me. Just about everyone has & trusts M&S for sandwiches etc so perhaps with a slight mark up this would be very succesful in my opinion. Only trouble onboard is with limited sales you would have to stock the 'best sellers' only with maybe the odd 'guest' offering.

 

[SS4]

A convenient arrangement. Waitrose's expensive, yet not particularly inventive, stock will fit in well with pretentious businessmen who are getting paid by the company anyway. Then again I suppose it's symptomatic of modern food whereby one pays through the nose for very little, but fancifully arranged, food. mushroom risotto? Really?

Whatever happened to good old fashioned stodge? Food which fills you up cheaply :P

 

[Squaddie]

I suppose it's symptomatic of modern food whereby one pays through the nose for very little, but fancifully arranged, food. mushroom risotto? Really?

Waitrose mushroom risotto is really excellent (it's one of my favourite microwave meals when I've been working late and can't be bothered to cook), and I can imagine that it would be quite popular.

However, I don't really see why anyone would really want a meal on such a short journey.

 

[yorksrob]

Whatever happened to good old fashioned stodge? Food which fills you up cheaply :P

That would be Spoon's big breakfast !

 

[Greenback]

That would be Spoon's big breakfast !

Or all day brunch...?

I don't think Waitrose's efforts willbe any worse than the 'light meal' we had recently on Eurostar, which was actually nothing more than a snack to my mind. I think it was less than you'd get as an appetiser in many restaurants.

 

[gordonthemoron]

I trust they will be better than the rubbish sold on SBB trains, €21,50 for a microwaved lasagne

 

[reb0118]

I trust they will be better than the rubbish sold on SBB trains, €21,50 for a microwaved lasagne

Was 17,50€ last time I got one. Had not really eaten much from Edinburgh on the sleeper so felt I had too just to soak up the beer.

Not great for the price but it was all they had!

 

[jamesontheroad]

Cannot remember any other similar set-up in the UK. Sounds good to me. Just about everyone has & trusts M&S for sandwiches etc so perhaps with a slight mark up this would be very succesful in my opinion.

M&S do very good business with their 'Simply Food' store format in British railway stations. Given that they now have an established distribution network serving major UK train stations, I wonder whether anyone at M&S has thought of bidding for on board catering contracts? After all, Rail Gourmet does the same, stocking up trains and trolleys at major hubs.

Perhaps (and I might be answering my own argument here) M&S wouldn't want their reputation tarnished by the sale of their goods in less than ideal conditions (ie unrefrigerated trolleys that could have traveled the length of England before they get to you).

 

[transmanche]

M&S do very good business with their 'Simply Food' store format in British railway stations.

Aren't most (all?) of these actually franchised outlets, operated by SSP (aka Rail Gourmet)?

 

[185]

Beats East Midlands Trains selling PC World's iPads on their trolley.

No coffee. No food. No drink. No Big Mac...

But why not have a bite of this iMac???

 

[Passenger John]

Experienced Waitrose on Eurostar on the way back from a day trip to Paris for our wedding anniversary. The food was excellent and very good value - I had an all day breakfast panini and my wife had pasta with pesto and a cup of good tea each. All for £10.30. BUT in Paris a Coffee and a Tea near Notre Dame cost 13.50 euros wow. Also when Eurostar steward found out it was our anniversary he called out "Champagne for both of them" with our compliments. Thank you Eurostar for helping to maske our day wonderful.

 

[yorksrob]

That would be Spoon's big breakfast !

On the subject of the Spoons big breakfast, I have just found out that the black pudding option has been discontinued. To make matters worse, I only noticed this when my breakfast turned up having been contaminated by a disgusting piece of fungus.

JD Weatherspoon will shortly be receiving a strongly worded letter of complaint.

 

[reb0118]

........ a disgusting piece of fungus.

Send that to me, I love mushrooms, & by return of post you will receive a slice of blackeye sausage ~ a slice of finest Lorne piped through with blackpudding. Yum!

 

[yorksrob]

Send that to me, I love mushrooms, & by return of post you will receive a slice of blackeye sausage ~ a slice of finest Lorne piped through with blackpudding. Yum!

Mmmm It‘s a deal