Matcha and protein pivot pays off for Greggs as profits rise

Matcha and protein pivot pays off for Greggs as profits riseImage source, iStock Editorial / Getty ImagesImage caption, Greggs profits rose after it launched a range of new productsByEmer MoreauBusiness reporterPublished1 minute agoGreggs's pivot towards healthier products and trending drinks has helped it boost sales, with the bakery chain reporting a 20% rise in profit over the first half of the year.Greggs, the UK's largest fast-food chain, has launched a range of new products this year, many of which latch onto trends such as high-protein salads and matcha.Greggs's chief executive Roisin Currie previously told BBC News the rise of weight-loss drugs has led customers to to look for "smaller portions", which could affect its bottom line.Total sales for the bakery topped £1.1 billion for the 26 weeks to the end of June - 7.2% higher than the same period a year ago.Pre-tax profit for the first half of the year was £76.0m - up from £63.5m for the first six months of 2025.Currie said the company was "broadening and innovating our menu in line with changing tastes and trends".The company relaunched its salad range in May, "adding protein and increased choice for customers".It is also trying to appeal to "new and younger customers" through its new iced matcha lattes, and to health-conscious consumers by making nutritional information on its labels clearer.Greggs, which has more UK outlets than McDonald's, opened 34 stores in the first half of 2026. That brings the total to 2,773, taking into account 31 store closures.More than half of the new openings were in areas with no Greggs stores within a mile. A similar proportion opened away from the High Street in locations including petrol forecourts, supermarkets, retail parks, hospitals and university campuses, it said.Currie said Greggs is monitoring customer behaviour to ensure new stores boost visits "without cannibalising existing shop sales".She also...