Pilgrims Choice expands its line-up with introduction of new ‘Inclusions’ range

Pilgrims Choice, the UK’s No.2 cheddar brand¹, is set to expand its range with the launch of ‘Inclusions’ – a line-up of fantastic-tasting blended cheeses.  Tapping into cutting edge food trends and multiple usage occasions, the range will combine Pilgrims Choice’s moreish Mature Cheddar with the inclusion of blended herbs, spices, vegetables and seasonings. The new ‘Inclusions’ range has been created to deliver an all in one, cuisine-led, solution for the growing number of consumers keen to explore exciting new flavours and cooking styles.

Available in convenient, easy to use, block, grated and sliced formats² the new Pilgrims Choice ‘Inclusions’ range will feature four full of flavour combinations:

• The Italian one – Garlic & Herb – featuring garlic, chives and black pepper ‘The Italian one’ delivers a well-balanced ‘pesto’ flavour that will complement and elevate a multitude of Italian style dishes from pasta bakes to pizzas to toasted ciabatta sandwiches.

• The Mexican one – Smoked Paprika – combining smoked paprika and smoked water, for a deep umami flavour, with spicy paprika & sweet caramelised onion to add sweetness, ‘The Mexican one’ delivers for those seeking the essential spicy hit that is at the heart of so many Mexican dishes.

• The American one – Hot Honey– harnessing the massive ‘hot honey’ trend, this features paprika & jalapeno for spice and honey and white wine vinegar to deliver a balanced sweet and savoury flavour. ‘The American one’ packs a real punch and will be perfect as a burger topper or for sprinkling over mac and cheese, pizzas, wraps, hot dogs and BBQ style food. 

• The British one – Caramelised Onion – based on the timeless combination of cheese & onion, this version is boosted by an umami punch coming from inclusion of a little porcini, roast garlic, honey and black pepper. ‘The British one’ is a real flavour discovery and will take the humble cheese toastie, jacket potato or sandwich to a new level.

The new ‘Inclusions’ range will start appearing in Tesco stores across the UK from March with more major listings to come later in the year.

The launch of Pilgrims Choice ‘Inclusions’ follows a major Category and Consumer Insights project undertaken by brand owner Ornua Foods UK. The research showed that when it comes to cheese, some 50% of consumers want to explore new flavour experiences without compromising on use and speed when it comes to preparing meals. Focused on delivering fantastic flavours combined with an inherent versatility when it comes to usage, the ‘Inclusions’ range will inspire consumers to explore their more adventurous side when creating quick and easy flavour-packed meals. This is also reflected in the naming conventions given to the quartet of choices, aimed at highlighting each variants’ usage/cuisine to help shoppers navigate the range and inspire usage in addition to showcasing flavour profiles.

Commenting on the launch of the new ‘Inclusions’ range and exciting wider developments for Pilgrims Choice in the coming year, Nicola Blackmore-Squires, Ornua Foods UK Marketing Director said: 

“At Pilgrims Choice we want to accelerate our growth journey.  We have undertaken a massive Category and Consumer Insights project to ensure we understand the role we play for both our retailer partners and our consumers. This is informing the direction of a pipeline of innovative offerings and brand developments, the first of which is our fantastic new Pilgrims Choice ‘Inclusions’ range.    

As a brand we want to ensure that the exciting developments we are making to the Pilgrims Choice range are ultimately what consumers really want. By tapping into cutting edge food trends, we are focused on addressing unmet usage occasions and driving mealtime inspiration to enable them to live a life full of flavour!”  

¹ 52we Circana EPOS to 28th December 2024 

² The new Inclusions range features the following skus, all in single facing shelf ready packaging:

• The Italian one – Garlic & Herb  (block 200g and grated 180g);
• The Mexican one – Smoked Paprika (block 200g, sliced 150g and grated 180g)
• The American one – Hot Honey  (block 200g, sliced 150g and grated 180g)
• The British one – Caramelised Onion (block 200g and sliced 150g) 

Sliced – SRP – 12 units in a display (6 slices per pack).  RRSP: £2.75

Block – SRP – 13 units in a display.  RRSP: £3.00

Grated – SRP – 13 units in a display.  RRSP: £2.75