The Co-op has had to delay the summer expansion of its Gro own-label vegan range due to the impact of the coronavirus.

Products which were set to launch were Vegan Mediterranean Layer Salad and Mixed Vegetable Crudites & Roasted Carrot Dip. In a message sent on 24 April, Nisa and Costcutter retailers were told: “Unfortunately, since the fantastic launch, the Gro product range has been significantly impacted by Covid-19 and suppliers have experienced issues.

Co-op’s new vegan Gro range provided to symbols

“There was a range of summer products planned, but unfortunately some have had to be cancelled. These products will launch later, we will of course keep partners updated when they become available.”

The Gro range was launched at the start of the year to help retailers take advantage of the growing demand for vegan and meat-free meals. Of the 21 products available in the range, four have been temporarily delisted. The delisted items are Smoking Bean Burger, Beet Burgers, Chilli Con Nachos and Meat Free Meatballs.

Find out more on our coronavirus information hub for retailers