Jamie Oliver deal with Sainsbury's past its sell-by date - Daily Mirror
Jamie Olivers 1.5million-a-year deal with Sainsburys is nearing the end of its shelf life.
The supermarket giant said yesterday this years Christmas campaign will be his last ending an 11-year tie-up.
Both sides last night denied the relationship had turned sour, insisting they simply wanted to try something new.
Jamie said: Its been a fantastic 11 years and together we have achieved some great things. Ill miss them but its a good time to move on.
The grocers chief executive Justin King added: Jamie has been an excellent ambassador for the Sainsburys brand over the past 11 years.
There is no doubt that it has been a lucrative association for both parties.
Jamie is believed to have made up to 7million from the contract which boosted Sainsburys sales by tens of millions.
When his first ad aired in 2000, sales for ingredients to make a prawn curry rocketed by 900%.
In 2005, following an ad showing him grating nutmeg over spaghetti bolognese it sold nine tonnes two years worth in a few days.
Jamie, who learned to cook in his dads pub The Cricketers in Clavering, Essex, has made more than 100 adverts for the supermarket giant, the vast majority encouraging us to Try Something New Today. Only Gary Linekers ads for Walkers crisps have been running longer.
But Jamies relationship with Sainsburys has not always run smoothly.
In 2008, he gave supermarkets a roasting over the treatment of battery chickens. His comments led to a 50% leap in sales of organic and free range birds.
While his passion for food saw Turkey Twizzlers banned from school dinners, his honesty landed him in hot water with his boss.
The Justin-Jamie relationship hit a rocky patch when the chef berated parents who put crisps and fizzy drinks into childrens lunchboxes.
Sainsburys insisted Jamies popularity was as strong as ever and insisted it was not planning to replace him with another celebrity.
Claire Harrison Church, Sainsburys marketing director, said: Jamies as popular as hes ever been.
His books are selling like hot cakes, hes on TV and his restaurants are going from strength to strength.
But he is also spending more time in the US and is launching a second restaurant chain as well as rapidly expanding Jamies Italian.
The joint statement issued by Sainsburys and Jamie yesterday said he wanted to spend more time on his social projects in the UK and abroad.
Sainsburys has also been running more ads without him in recent months, notably its hugely successful Feed Your Family for 50 campaign.
This triggered more than a million visits to the companys website, generating huge sales increases.
Some experts believe the supermarket feels it is wrong to be paying celebrities fat fees at a time when so many shoppers are feeling the squeeze.
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