Sainsbury's is set to introduce an apple crumble sandwich as part of its meal deal selection in November. The new offering reportedly features brioche bread, apple slices, fruit compote, creme fraiche, and crumbled biscuits, positioned as a snack.
This move by Sainsbury's follows a trend of dessert-inspired sandwiches in the UK market. Marks and Spencer previously released a strawberries and cream sandwich, which proved popular despite initial surprise, selling 75,000 units in its first five days. M&S has since launched another sweet sandwich, a chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio creme on cocoa-enriched bread.
Tesco also entered the market with a 'birthday cake sando,' inspired by Victoria sponge cake, which includes strawberry jam and cream cheese on brioche bread. These launches reflect a growing consumer interest in novel sandwich combinations.
The concept of fruit sandwiches, or 'furutsu sando,' originated in Japan, where fruit like kiwi, mango, or berries are paired with whipped cream and served on soft milk bread. This Japanese trend gained significant traction on social media before inspiring similar products in the UK.
Sainsbury's apple crumble sandwich will be part of its wider Christmas range, which is also expected to include novelty items such as fox-themed bao buns and mince pies for dogs.