Waitrose Windsor receives 'one of the first ever' 100 per cent plant-based 3D Royal Warrants

The Windsor branch of Waitrose received one of the ‘first ever new 100 per cent plant-based’ 3D Royal Warrants last week.

The nationwide supermarket chain was granted the Royal Warrant as Grocer of Wine & Spirits Merchant to His Majesty Charles III in May last year.

The awarding of the warrant follows that granted by Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2002 and by the then Prince of Wales in 2010.

Waitrose is the only supermarket to be granted the Royal Warrant, which is given as a mark of recognition to companies who have regularly supplied the Royal Household for at least five years.

A Waitrose store has been in Windsor since 1918.

It was awarded a Royal Warrant in 1928 for supplying King George V with cleaning materials and groceries and was the first Waitrose store to have a warrant.

The store has also hosted visits from Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the late HRH Prince Philip on several occasions.

Colin Mullins is a Craft Guilder and the artisan producer who is responsible for making the Royal Warrants by hand in a 3D format from his studio in Crewe.

For the first time, he has produced the Royal Warrants from 100 per cent plant-based materials.

Waitrose is one of the first retailers to receive a plant-based warrant, which has been formed from caster oil bean.

Colin said: “It’s a proud moment indeed to see my work finally going into Waitrose Windsor, after many months spent working on each piece in my home studio.

“What starts off as some rough sketches and a lump of modelling clay, then gets 3D printed and shaped into the final piece you see up on the wall.

“I take great care to apply all the paint and gold leaf by hand, which is a very intricate and lengthy process.

“It's taken many years to hone my craft, and making my work as sustainable as possible is always a top priority for me.

“I hope Waitrose shoppers will stop and take a moment to look at it when they next pop in, taking in all the details and appreciating the heritage and quality it represents.”

The celebrations on Thursday, November 20, which saw the 3D Royal Warrant put into place, was attended by several long-standing Waitrose Partners, including John Birch, who has worked in all three of the latest Windsor branches.

He has a 46-year service in the Partnership and is an e-com driver.

Other attendees included Dave Snellart, who celebrated 50 years in the Partnership this year; Saina Bat-Ophir, a new counters Partner; Dean Hitchcock, who has been a Partner for 18 years and runs the welcome desk; Carolyn Bailey, branch manager who also ran the little shop in the town before the new branch opened and Sandra Brown, Windsor Partner.

Carolyn Bailey, branch manager at Waitrose Windsor, said: “We are so excited to see the new Royal Warrant for His Majesty King Charles III go up on our wall today [Thursday, November 20].

“It will have pride of place as customers enter the store, and we know our regular shoppers will be as pleased as we are to see the new design and appreciate all the workmanship that’s gone into it.

“We have several Partners who have worked with us for over 40 years, some of whom are here today to toast the new addition to our store and celebrate this auspicious occasion.

“We’ve been lucky enough to house several of the previous Royal Warrants, but this will be the first 100 [per cent] plant based one, which makes it feel even more special.”

Dean Hitchcock, Waitrose Windsor Partner, said: “The new Royal Warrant looks beautiful, Windsor is such a special store to work in and I can’t wait to see customers faces when they see it in pride of place.

“It makes me feel really proud to work here and adds to our unique offering as a supermarket.”