MANCHESTER, U.K. — Brioche specialist St Pierre has secured new item placement with national The Kroger Co. and expanded its reach across America with new customer relationships on the East Coast.

Kroger launched two new products in January: St Pierre Seeded Brioche Burger Buns and St Pierre Chocolate & Hazelnut Filled Crepes. Both, according to St Pierre, are helping drive new customers to the brand, which has grown sales by 22% year to date. 

Sales are also up on the East Coast, after the brand secured new distribution with ShopRite Supermarkets Inc., securing space on shelf with 36 Wakefern and ShopRite sites across New York and New Jersey. The retail group is now offering a selection of the brand’s popular grilling range and breakfast must-haves including St Pierre Brioche Bagels, Brioche Sliced Loaf and All Butter Croissants. 

“We have big plans for this year and these latest distribution wins stand put us in a strong position for meeting ambitious targets,” said David Wagstaff, vice president for North American accounts. “Unit sales for February 2022 are significantly stronger than at the same time last year – which was also a successful period – and that’s testament to the team we have assembled in the past 12 months, to further build the brand in America.”  

St Pierre continues to work with retailers, investing in merchandising solutions, innovative racks and stand-out fixtures to drive both sales of its own brand, but also footfall to the instore bakeries of retailers across the country, Wagstaff said. 

“Everything at St Pierre is about enhancing the experience, from shopping through to eating, and elevating the ‘everyday’. Anyone attending Expo West this year can see this is in action, too – sampling our products and meeting the people who are at the heart of our brand.” 

St Pierre will be attending its first ever Expo West exhibition in Anaheim this year, with plans to demonstrate new products and merchandising solutions later in the year at IDDBA, too. St Pierre’s global brand value is in excess of $150 million, with five consecutive years of double-digit growth.