With cheesecake ranking as one of the top searched items at Christmas on Taste.com.au, Coles has created a first ever novelty Santa cheesecake with a biscuit base, vanilla cheesecake, and raspberry topping, decorated with a chocolate Santa belt for the oncoming Christmas season.

At a sneak peek of its indulgent and sustainable festive range of Christmas products, Coles ambassador and Michelin Star chef Curtis Stone said this year’s range is focussed on providing the very best value on locally sourced fresh produce.

“We know that this Christmas more than ever customers will want to have the very best quality products for their family and friends, while also making their household budgets go further,” he said.

A recent survey of more than 2,100 customers found that two out of three will spend Christmas either at their home or the home of friends or family, indicating that entertaining at home will continue to be an important theme this year.

A talented team of chefs, product developers and liquor experts at Coles have been working all year to inspire customers with 151 and 106 new own brand/exclusive products in supermarkets and liquor, an increase of 27% and 6% on last year’s new range respectively.

Manu Fidel & Julie Goodwin get into the Christmas spirit at the Coles Christmas 2022 media launch at La Botanique

Natalie Barr attends the Coles Christmas 2022 media launch at La Botanique, Sydney

Coles Chief Executive Officer Steven Cain said the focus this year was to produce a delicious Christmas range that would cater to all budgets and festive celebrations.

“We know that reducing unnecessary waste is a key concern for our customers, so we have been focused on ensuring more of our packaging is recyclable and carries the Australasian Recycling label to help customers recycle it correctly,” Mr Cain said.

“We are proud that as at end June 2022, 94.6% of our Coles Own Brand product packaging is now recyclable, compared to only 87% at the same time last year.”

The food highlights include a Coles Christmas Juniper Berry Seasoned Ham made from 100% Australian sow-stall free pork, the Coles Finest Luxury Black Forest Bombe Pudding, Coles Entertaining Prawns in Blankets and for the first time, a Nature’s Kitchen Plant-based Christmas Ham style Roast with a with Vegan Maple Glaze, among more than 25 festive vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free products aimed at the increasing number of Australians with diverse dietary needs.

The number of locally-sourced Bakery products has increased this year, with customers expected to spoil themselves with the new Coles Finest Jewelled Fruit Cake, produced by a local family-owned business in the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, and the new Coles Finest Luxury Black Forest Crumble Mini Tarts, all hand-made and decorated in Victoria.

Liquorland  too is well stocked up for the season and Coles Liquor General Manager Mia Lloyd already has a top pick for Christmas lunch: “the Beyond The Wilderness Pinot Rosé 750mL, crafted from premium pinot noir grapes from Tasmania, complementing the 100% Australian Coles Christmas Juniper Berry Seasoned Ham”!

With an ambition to be Australia’s most sustainable supermarket, Coles has for the first time also introduced a brand new Christmas gift wrap which is made in Australia from 100% FSC Recycled material.