Remember when Greggs launched its vegan sausage roll in 2019? That was probably when the bakery chain peaked in terms of public consciousness. The new menu item caused such a hullabaloo that even made it onto headline segments of breakfast TV shows. Social media flooded with reviews and memes and column inches were made available in newspapers.
Seven years on and Greggs’ latest effort, a chicken sausage roll, has curried less favour. You might think this odd given the Newcastle-based enterprise is now a £2 billion company and boasts more than 2,700 sites across the UK. I guess Greggs just isn’t interesting any more: its success story has been told; these days it’s just another monolithic fast food chain, only one dressed up in a baker’s smock.
I went to try the new menu item regardless. Curiosity killed the fat — I wanted to gauge its impact. It’s also my job. Greggs set up shop in Soho on Wednesday April 8, turning an everyday retail space into a makeshift 1990s video store.
The new “chicken roll”, as it’s been named, would have been a seismic moment throughout food-based discourse in years past. Yet in the sunshine, streets busy with long lunchers and hot weather part-timers, there wasn’t even a queue to wade through.
Greggs’ new chicken roll launches nationwide on April 9. It will cost £1.35, which is the same price as the original, with the same flaky, glazed puff pastry, the same long and cylindrical shape. The only difference is chicken in place of pork (and 33 fewer calories). Any good, then? It’s absolutely fine; totally serviceable. The flavour isn’t worlds away from that of a chicken and mushroom Pot Noodle or a bag of Walker’s roast chicken crisps. A valid energy boost for commuters rushing to catch a train. A not unpleasant hot snack. And there we have it.
