Souped up for success

Knorr holds an impressive 64.4%* share of instant soups and 77.2%* share of packet soups

Worth over €50 million annually, soup is viewed by Irish consumers as the ultimate flexible favourite, that's quick and convenient to prepare, writes Gillian Hamill

Brand Central

26 October 2011

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At a glance: SOUPS

Knorr currently holds 38.1% share of the total soup market which is worth over €50 million annually in Ireland*
Knorr is the number one brand in the overall soup market and is the leader within the packet, instant and pouch soup sectors individually as well*
Knorr’s Special Recipe Soup now holds a sector leading share of 55.1%* in the pouch soup sector, after gaining an additional 6.8%* points share in the past year
The Knorr brand holds a 64.4%* share of instant soups and 77.2%* share of packet soups
*(Source: AC Nielsen Extended Scantrack, MAT to 4 September 2011)
Weight Watchers from Heinz is the number one healthy eating soup brand
Cully & Sully’s Creamy Tomato Soup won a gold star at this year’s Great Taste Awards
Avonmore Fresh Soup is the leading manufacturer of soup in the country, with production taking place in Co. Kilkenny for almost 20 years

The total soup market is worth over €50 million annually. Of this, the total Irish ambient soup category market is currently worth €33 million and remains flat year on year (YOY), according to Unilever’s Partners for Growth programme. Total symbol groups’ soup sales account for €7.7 million; down 3.6% on the previous year. Packet soup remains the largest soup sector (45%) followed by instant, pouched and canned respectively. (Source: AC Neilsen Scantrack Val Shr 20th Feb 2011)

According to Partners for Growth’s research, shoppers are brand loyal within the soup category, and will leave the store if their favourite brand is not stocked. (Sparkqaul, 2008)

Quick Soup What’s more, secondary sittings and adjacencies are crucial. Retailers are advised to locate soup in the ambient fixture close to stocks and sauces. Work carried out by Unilever Ireland has shown that placing an extra soup sittings close to the bread fixture can lead to incremental soup sales purchases of up to 30%. (Unilever/Superquinn, 2008)

Soup also crosses multiple consumption occasions. It can form part of a snack, lunch, or the starter of a main meal. With social and home entertaining growing by 14% last year the opportunity exists in-store to use soup as part of a food ‘meal deal’. (TNS Worldpanel Usage, 52 W/E 22/03/09).

Ireland’s number one soup brand

Knorr has continued to grow share year on year and now holds 38.1% share of the total soup market which is worth over €50 million annually in Ireland. Knorr is proud to be the number one brand in this market and benefits from a wide reach as it operates within the packet, instant and pouch soup sectors and is the leader within all three of these sectors individually as well.

Knorr’s offering in pouch soup, Special Recipe Soup, has seen an impressive performance over the last year where it now holds a sector leading share of 55.1%*, after a year of strong growth which has seen it gain an additional 6.8%* points share.
With a 64.4%* share of instant soups and 77.2%* share of packet soups, Knorr continues to be a firm and trusted family favourite throughout Ireland.

This autumn sees the launch of New Knorr Gourmet Moments, a new range of restaurant inspired, high quality soups. Knorr’s chefs have taken inspiration from restaurant menus and combined their favourite ingredients to create the brand’s best tasting soups ever. Knorr Gourmet Moments are available in a range of flavours that offer consumers an affordable indulgent gourmet experience that they can enjoy in the pleasure of their own homes. This new range is available across all of Knorr’s three key formats – packet, pouch and instant – and will be supported with a €1 million campaign across TV and outdoor, combined with a nationwide roadshow and sampling programme.

Make sure you maximise your soup category sales this winter by stocking up with Knorr, Ireland’s number one soup brand.
For soup category advice visit http://partnersforgrowth.unilever.com/ireland.

*Source: AC Nielsen Extended Scantrack (MAT to 4 September 2011)

The Heinz Classics range with recipes such as Cream of Tomato and Cream of Chicken remains as popular as ever

Revolutionising and remaining relevant

The Heinz and Weight Watchers from Heinz soup ranges have long proven to be a loyal favourite with Irish consumers. Heinz remains ever relevant to its consumers though continual investment in its soup portfolio to drive incremental sales and satisfy consumer tastes and needs such as eating on-the-go, health and putting the pleasure back in soup.

The latest addition to the Heinz range is Heinz Squeeze and Stir, a brand new soup in a cup format that is set to revolutionise the instant soup category.

Made from concentrated purée, each recipe contains ‘one of your five a day’, is low in fat and delivers in terms of taste and consistency without any artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or MSG and is low in fat. Available in four varieties including Cream of Tomato, Minestrone, Cream of Tomato & Basil and Mediterranean Vegetable, the Heinz Squeeze & Stir range provides a perfect solution to a mid morning or afternoon snack, as well as an accompaniment to a sandwich all in the time that it takes to boil a kettle.

Made from concentrated purée, each Heinz Squeeze & Stir recipe contains one of consumers’ ‘five a day’

The Heinz Classics range remains a firm family favourite with classic recipes such as Cream of Tomato and Cream of Chicken remaining as popular as ever.

Heinz Big Soup is a range of hearty, chunky soups which are ideal for a sustaining lunch or for a light dinner offering an extensive range of traditional varieties including Chicken & Vegetable and Beef and Vegetable.

Heinz remains ever responsive to consumer demands for healthy and convenient products that do not compromise on taste. Weight Watchers from Heinz, the number one healthy eating soup brand, continues to offer favourites such as Chicken Noodle and new varieties such as Tuscan Minestrone and Tomato & Basil.

All Weight Watchers from Heinz varieties exclusively carry the Weight Watchers points value on pack.

Cully & Sully cooks up something special

This year, Cully & Sully’s Creamy Tomato Soup won a gold star at the Great Taste Awards.

Due to positive customer feedback, Cully & Sully’s new Thai Chicken Soup has lost its sleeve and is no longer a limited edition; it’s now here to stay.

Once again Cully & Sully are calling any closet cooks who’d like to train to become a professional to visit www.Cheffactor.ie where they could win the 12 week certificate Ballymaloe cookery course plus accommodation worth €12,000, so spread the word. Voting starts on 17 October so enter quick.

To get a full list of all the products, please go to www.cullyandsully.com and click on “our meals,” but for quick reference the brand now has eight soups, six hotpots and five pies.

Avonmore Fresh Soup provides consumers with high quality, nutritious, fresh meals that are also convenient to prepare and great value for money

Homemade taste without the hassle

Avonmore Fresh Soup is Ireland’s favourite fresh soup brand with a range of recipes and pack sizes to suit all of the family. Avonmore pioneered the introduction of fresh soup into Ireland with the launch of Avonmore Country Ladle Fresh Soup in 1991 offering Irish people a fresh, tasty, Irish alternative to packet soups and since then it has been providing Irish consumers with the tastiest lunches and snacks that taste just like homemade.

Avonmore Fresh Soup is available in a wide range of flavours to suit all tastes and occasions from the kid’s after school snack to the family Sunday lunch. Some of the most popular flavours include Farmer’s Choice Mixed Vegetable and Classic Cream of Chicken. Avonmore Fresh Soup also has a low fat variety including Low fat Mediterranian Vegetable and low fat Tomato & Basil to cater for those who are counting the calories. The chunky soups are a hearty meal on their own and include Irish classics such as Chunky Irish Beef & Veg. All of the recipes taste just like homemade soups but without all the hassle of chopping, blending and cooking. With Avonmore Fresh Soup, consumers get high quality, nutritious, fresh meals that are also convenient to prepare and great value for money.

Avonmore Fresh Soup is the leading manufacturer of soup in the country, with production taking place in the heart of the country in Co. Kilkenny for almost 20 years.

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