Waitrose is investing £10 million over the next three years in its premium ready-meal business as the supermarket responds to growing demand for higher-quality food that can be enjoyed at home.
The investment will support the development of new dishes and the improvement of existing products, with the retailer expanding its premium No.1 range.
Waitrose is introducing 29 new oven-ready meals featuring ingredients including wagyu beef, aged Parmigiano Reggiano and slow-cooked brisket. Around 30 existing products are also being updated.
The move reflects a wider change in consumer dining habits, with households increasingly looking for restaurant-style meals that can be prepared at home.
Bringing restaurant-style food home
The new range includes dishes inspired by Italian and Asian cuisines, alongside more traditional comfort foods.
Among the products being introduced are slow-cooked beef and Chianti pappardelle, nduja and sausage ragu orecchiette with mascarpone, a Kerala-inspired fish curry, miso aubergine, wagyu cottage pie and butternut squash and mascarpone bucatini.
Waitrose is also expanding its selection of premium side dishes. These include slow-cooked black dal and coconut rice.
Main courses will be priced between approximately £6 and £7.50, while sides will range from £3.60 to £5.30. Customers will also be able to purchase a meal deal for two containing two mains and two sides for £18.
Premium meals gain momentum
The investment comes as consumers continue to look for ways to enjoy more sophisticated food without necessarily eating out.
Waitrose has previously reported significant growth in its premium ready-meal business. In 2025, the retailer said sales of its premium No.1 ready meals had increased 86% year on year, while sales of Dishpatch set menus rose 160%. It also reported a sharp increase in searches for its No.1 meal deals.
The supermarket said consumers were increasingly interested in recreating the restaurant experience at home, with premium ingredients and more elaborate meals becoming part of everyday dining.
That trend has helped transform the ready-meal category. What was once primarily associated with convenience and inexpensive prepared food has increasingly developed into a premium segment featuring specialist ingredients, longer cooking techniques and restaurant-inspired recipes.
A £10m bet on changing tastes
Waitrose’s latest investment is designed to build on that shift.
Rather than focusing solely on convenience, the supermarket is positioning its premium meals as an alternative for consumers who want a more elevated dining experience without preparing a meal entirely from scratch.
The new products use ingredients and recipes designed to give customers greater variety while reducing the preparation time normally associated with more elaborate dishes.
The expansion also gives Waitrose an opportunity to strengthen its premium food proposition at a time when consumers are becoming increasingly selective about where they spend their money.
For shoppers, the result is a wider selection of restaurant-inspired meals that can be prepared in minutes while still offering more distinctive flavours and ingredients than traditional ready meals.
As eating at home becomes an increasingly important part of Britain’s food culture, Waitrose is betting that consumers will continue to spend on quality — even when they are looking for value.
