Waitrose has launched a range of retro foods in partnership with Disney+ to promote the second season of Rivals.
The 80s Rivals range pits two flavours against one another in each category. The scotch egg sandwich is up against Thousand Island prawn, steak Diane hand-cooked crisps are competing with Bloody Mary prawn cocktail flavour, and rhubarb and custard dairy ice cream is facing peach melba. There are also drinks included in the new range, with peach melba spritz opposite spicy pineapple daiquiri, and a limited-edition tote bag is also available.
A statement from Waitrose states that the range ‘invites food lovers to relive the drama of the decade, one rivalry at a time’. Despite the emphasis on rivalry and duelling flavours, no actual competition metrics have been announced.
Director of own brand at Waitrose, Maddy Wilson, said: ‘The fun and drama lie in the choice — now you can settle your own debate, whether it’s steak Diane vs Bloody Mary, or scotch egg vs prawn cocktail. It’s a celebration of pure joy and food that will give every food lover something to talk about’.
The ‘rivalry’ also gives Waitrose an opportunity to double its sales. Pitting two flavours against one another means some customers may buy both in order to decide which they like best.
Season two of Rivals will debut on 15 May on Disney+ in the UK with a three-episode premiere, and then three more episodes. A second batch of six episodes of the Hulu Original series will follow later in the year.
Two-way brand integrations between major stores and scripted shows are much rarer in the UK than in the US, but if this partnership succeeds, others could look to follow.
Waitrose chief customer officer Nathan Ansell stated that this is ‘one of the first brand integration moments for a scripted UK Hulu Original’. Waitrose’s store brand makes sense as a partnership for a show that trades heavily on its British retro aesthetic, and Ansell confirmed that a Waitrose store with period products would appear in the show alongside the activation.
Over the past two years, Waitrose has increasingly demonstrated an innovative and savvy approach to media. In 2024 it worked with MG OMD to create a two-part whodunnit campaign for Christmas. The following year, it worked with the same agency to create a mini rom-com movie with Keira Knightley, which sat alongside real films on ITVX.
We contacted Waitrose for interview, but were declined.
