Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips was on good form this week as he shrugged off the grocer’s recent poor financial performance to showcase a new array of festive products at Morrisons’ newly-refitted Camden store.

Morrisons chief executive Dalton Philips was on good form this week as he shrugged off the grocer’s recent poor financial performance to showcase a new array of festive products at Morrisons’ newly-refitted Camden store.

Touring journalists around Retail Week’s local store, Philips championed the retailer’s prepped Brussels sprouts, became animated in blasting “bizarre” rules on VAT in wielding a piping hot rotisserie chicken and his staff presented journalists with the well-received delicacy – pork pie on a stick.

The Irishman ran into a bit of luck walking with me down the (supermarket) aisle as an elderly shopper stopped to remark “I love your new vegetables” referring to Morrisons’ under-fire Fresh Format. Philips denied she was on the payroll though some may have detected a slight Yorkshire twang to her compliment.

The products themselves have been well crafted for Christmas and do display Morrisons points of difference with large in-store bakeries and meat counters. From the three fish roast, the Tiger Bread Turtle and the Christmas Cane bread (seen here being badly-made by yours truly).

Alex tries his hand at making a Christmas cane

Alex tries his hand at making a Christmas cane

Dalton is passionate about the retailer’s emphasis on fresh and may get in the bakery himself. Given Morrisons’ recent sales performance, he may have to feel the heat in the M Kitchen a while longer.