Why has Waitrose cut ties with Heston Blumenthal? Supermarket’s decision to axe food and drink range explained

Heston from Waitrose has seen some notable hits over the last 12 years, including the hidden orange Christmas pudding
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From the famous Hidden Orange Christmas Pudding to the slightly less-so Banana and Bacon Trifle, Waitrose’s partnership with Heston Blumenthal has spawned weird and wonderful food products for more than a decade.

But after 12 years, the Heston from Waitrose range is set to be no more, with one final product being launched for Easter 2023. The celebrity chef is reported to be furious with the supermarket’s decision.

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It has come as the supermarket, which is owned by the John Lewis department store partnership, has made some major changes to its offering in recent months. With the cost of living crisis, it has moved towards a more value-orientated approach, that has seen it slash prices on its own-brand ranges.

The upmarket retailer has also adjusted its MyWaitrose loyalty scheme, bringing back free teas and coffees for its loyalty card members, as well as cracking down on plastic waste. It has scrapped coloured milk bottle tops and single-use vapes.

So, why is it now bringing the curtain down on its Heston from Waitrose range - and what has the celebrity chef said about the move?

Why has Waitrose dropped Heston Blumenthal?

In what it labelled a “fond farewell” to Heston Blumenthal, Waitrose said: “We’ve enjoyed what has been one of the most enduring relationships of its kind and we’re looking forward to the next chapter and unveiling some really exciting plans in the months to come.

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“We would like to thank Heston Blumenthal and his team for what has been a tremendously creative partnership and wish them all the best in the future.”

Heston Blumenthal has been in partnership with Waitrose for 12 years (image: Getty Images)Heston Blumenthal has been in partnership with Waitrose for 12 years (image: Getty Images)
Heston Blumenthal has been in partnership with Waitrose for 12 years (image: Getty Images)

The upmarket supermarket added that it wants to take its product development “in a new direction” that will provide a greater role for its team of development chefs and product developers.

Every supermarket has a team of food experts who create own-brand product lines that they hope will provide them with a point of difference to other chains. Waitrose has pointed to how its food development team has come up with its Cooks Ingredients and ‘No.1’ ranges.

Notable examples of food development teams’ work at other supermarkets include Tesco’s Plant Chef and Wicked Kitchen vegan ranges - the brainchild of the retailer’s recently departed plant based development chef Derek Sarno - as well as Sainsbury’s ‘Inspired to Cook’ range.

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But having a celebrity chef creating innovative products that generated considerable excitement at key times like Easter and Christmas gave Waitrose an edge other retailers envied. It means the decision to ditch Heston has been met with raised eyebrows.

According to reporting by The Times, the main reasons for Waitrose ending the partnership was that Mr Blumenthal had become too “distant” since moving to France in 2019. But the newspaper also pointed to how his “weird experiments” such as his Banana and Bacon Trifle, would often flop at the tills.

Another report by the Mail on Sunday, which broke the story, quoted a Waitrose supermarket source as saying the chef had become too unpredictable, and suggested the retailer had become unwilling to pay for a contract with him that was said to be worth “hundreds of thousands of pounds a year”.

What has Heston Blumenthal said about Waitrose?

The Daily Mail has quoted Heston Blumenthal describing Waitrose’s move as “disgusting”. He reportedly told the newspaper: “I am pleased the contract has expired”.

Heston Blumenthal shot to fame as the owner of the Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire (image: AFP/Getty Images)Heston Blumenthal shot to fame as the owner of the Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire (image: AFP/Getty Images)
Heston Blumenthal shot to fame as the owner of the Fat Duck restaurant in Berkshire (image: AFP/Getty Images)
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Reacting to the comment said to be from a Waitrose source referring to him as too unpredictable, the celebrity chef hit back by saying: “Unpredictable to me is a non-linear process that turns to creativity.”

According to the Mail, Mr Blumenthal said he could relaunch some of the products under a new brand name “within the next six months” as he claimed he owned some of the intellectual properties of the Waitrose range.

Can you still buy Heston from Waitrose range?

While the partnership between Waitrose and Heston Blumenthal has come to a bitter denouement, you can still purchase products from the range.

At the time of writing (Wednesday 1 March), a dozen Heston from Waitrose products were still available online, including the range’s Bloody Mary Prawn Cocktail, Tea Smoked Salmon and Lazy Mandarin Negroni.

The last Heston from Waitrose product will be launched this Easter (image: Waitrose)The last Heston from Waitrose product will be launched this Easter (image: Waitrose)
The last Heston from Waitrose product will be launched this Easter (image: Waitrose)
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There is also still one more high-profile launch to come, with the Heston brand’s final flourish set to be The Chocolate Dabbit this Easter. Waitrose said the product “showcases the playful creativity” its range with the celebrity chef is “renowned for”. The sweet treat will resemble a rabbit at one angle, but a duck when looked at from a different angle.

As for what’s coming next, the retailer has urged customers to “watch this space”.

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