Dairy Crest has extended its Cathedral City sliced cheese range with ’The Big Slice’ - a pack of larger, thicker slices, designed to fit a piece of bread perfectly.

The sliced cheese sector continues to show growth, outperforming Total Cheese. Sandwiches remain the dominant occasion, making up 280m sliced cheese occasions (Kantar 21st May 17), and weekday packed lunch occasions are experiencing growth of 1.4% (IH/CO Consumption 18th June 2017). Dairy Crest research suggests however that headroom opportunity remains to better satisfy the needs of some 64% of consumers who claim to be looking for an ‘ultimate cheese slice’ – one that both delivers on taste and covers the whole slice of bread.

Natalie Cukierman, brand manager Cathedral City Sliced & Grated, said: “Though convenience is a key purchase driver for sliced cheese, our research found that there was currently no product available on the market that answered demand for ‘the perfect slice’ (of cheese) to cover a whole slice of bread.”

With 60% more cheese per slice and 30% larger than standard slices, ‘The Big Slice’ is the only sliced cheddar on the market that covers a whole slice of bread. Ideal for cold or hot sandwich occasions, the product promises consumers the ultimate in convenience.

Cukierman said: “‘The Big Slice’offers consumers a convenient and versatile cheese slice that fits bread perfectly, for cheese in every bite. With Cathedral City the only brand to offer this, we are confident that our latest innovation will provide shoppers with the perfect solution to their sandwich needs.”

The Big Slice will launch into Tesco and the Co-op from late May, rolling out to other retailers in later months and carrying an RRP of £2.

Cathedral City remains the UK’s no. 1 and Nation’s favourite cheese brand, currently worth £272.7m (IRI, Kantar 21st Apr 18) and purchased by 55% of all UK households (Kantar World Panel 21st Apr 18).