Greggs has reported sales of more than £1bn for the first time in its history.
The North East retailer saw sales rise by 7.2% over the year, with pre-tax profits rising 15% to £82.6m.
Chief executive, Roger Whiteside OBE, explained that its marketing team had also grown its brand reputation, “driving reappraisal” of Greggs.
“Whilst there are significant uncertainties in the months ahead, Greggs has started 2019 in great form, helped in part by the publicity surrounding the launch of our vegan-friendly sausage roll,” he stated.
“We hope to continue benefiting from this strong momentum during the first half of 2019 before facing stronger comparatives later in the year. We have a strong financial position which we plan to use to invest in Greggs’ potential for further growth, whilst also delivering good returns for shareholders.”
Chairman, Ian Durant also referred to the “extraordinary level of social and general media coverage” following its Veganuary campaign.
Over the year, Greggs said it had invested in its marketing capability to target “infrequent and non-users who have yet to recognise how much Greggs has changed in recent years.”
