Morrisons declares ready meals war on M&S as part of £50m overhaul

by Graham Hiscott - 07/10/2011

"MORRISONS has declared a TV dinner war on Marks & Spencer as part of a £50million product revamp."

The supermarket giant is launching 11,000 new or improved own-brand lines over the next two years – starting with 650 ready meals from next week. Commercial director Richard Hodgson vowed the new M Kitchen range would be “best in class, but the very best on price” in a direct challenge to upmarket M&S and Waitrose.

Morrisons signalled its intent earlier this year by poaching Waitrose executive chef Neil Nugent, who helped turn Heston Blumenthal’s’ orange Christmas pud into a sell-out hit last Christmas.

Other top restaurant chefs have helped develop Morrisons’ new range of ready meals and ingredients-in-a-bag, including products aimed at fans of trendy Asian restaurant chain Wagamama.

The move is part of a product ­overhaul that will see the chain ditch its premium brand ‘The Best’, introduce a new value selection called ‘Savers’ and strip out its standard range in many categories.

Hodgson said: “Take vegetable oil, do you really need three different types?”

He added that the quality of its Savers range was designed to snatch sales from discount chains Aldi and Lidl, which have been stealing business from the country’s big four grocers in recent months.

More Details: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/city-news/2011/09/29/morrisons-declares-ready-meals-war-on-m-s-as-part-of-50m-overhaul-115875-23453111/