M&S Cafe says it’s the most asked for addition to the menu and this August 2023 it has launched a new gluten-free
afternoon tea in Cheltenham and Gloucester.
Available from 2pm, the afternoon tea is stacked high with gluten-free cheddar cheese New Yorker sandwiches, a gluten-free fruit scone with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam, fresh berries, and a gluten-free dark chocolate and hazelnut crispy slice.
It's all served with a pot of tea for £10 per person, or with a mini bottle of Prosecco or alcohol-free fizz for an extra £5.
All items are served to the table in sealed packaging to ensure customer safety.
Lead product developer at M&S, Claire
Hodgson, said: 'Getting more gluten-free goodies on the cafe menu is high on
our agenda — it's something we know will excite a lot of customers.
'Our new gluten-free afternoon tea is a great place to start and we’re really proud to be the first UK-wide cafe to launch one.
'It’s really important to us that we’ve been able to deliver a gluten-free option that doesn’t cut any corners. It looks great, tastes sensational and is priced exactly the same as our original afternoon tea.
'People often associate gluten-free food with blandness, but we’re determined to shake that up. Our cheddar cheese New Yorker is one of our most vibrant, punchiest sandwiches out there, even winning Retailer Product of the Year and a Gold medal at this year’s Free From Food Awards. It looks absolutely stunning in our afternoon tea.'
Gluten-free options are growing in demand at M&S Food, with sales of its wheat, gluten or dairy-free ‘Made Without’ range growing over 10 per cent in the last year.
The launch of M&S Cafe’s original afternoon tea earlier this year sparked demand from customers following a gluten-free diet for a version they could also enjoy, with a flurry of requests online and to colleagues in-store.
