Greggs sales boosted by salads and soups

More wholesome food options have seen sales at Greggs rise by 5.6% over the last quarter.

The Newcastle-based chain launched a new menu in the summer as part of a five year-strategic plan to move from being a traditional bakery to focusing on food-on-the-go. Along with the traditional sausage rolls, pies and pasties, hungry shoppers can also buy salads, yoghurts, gluten-free options and lower-calorie soups.

"The popularity of our summer menu, including an extended range of Balanced Choice salads and yoghurts, supported sales growth in the period," said the high street chain.

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"We also saw continued strong growth at breakfast time, helped by our strong coffee offer and value deals."

Following on from that success, Greggs is set to unveil an autumn menu featuring chipotle beef, onion bhaji burritos and pulled chicken, reports The Sun.

However, bread could soon be off the shelves.

"It used to be what the business sold back in the 1930s and bread still features [in stores in more residential areas], but it has been declining for seven decades," chief executive Roger Whiteside told The Guardian.

"If the trend continues, it will reach a point where it is no longer worth selling. Basically, people buy bread in supermarkets now."

Greggs announced it has opened 103 new outlets so far this year, including 41 franchises. However, it has also closed the doors on 58 stores, leaving it with a balance of 1,743 shops, 143 of them franchises.

The company will open a new distribution centre in Enfield in the coming weeks and complete the previously announced closure of its Twickenham bakery in November.