Souper troopers!
As we head into the dark winter months, our thoughts naturally turn to warm, comforting broths. Offering true nourishment in a bowl (or whatever serving suggestion you prefer yourself!), the soup category is being driven forward by growing health and wellness trends, writes Gillian Hamill
Print17 October 2017
At a glance: Soups
Soup in Ireland recorded retail value growth of 2% in 2016 to reach €79.8 million*
Soup in Ireland is expected to record a retail value CAGR of 2% at constant 2016 prices to reach €86.3 million by 2021*
Chilled and instant soups spearheaded growth, each seeing its retail value sales increase by 4% over 2016*
Cully & Sully is Ireland’s number one soup across chilled and ambient
Avonmore is Ireland’s leading dairy brand
Avonmore introduced Ireland’s very first fresh soup in 1991
Within our neighbouring UK market, Knorr is the number one stocks brand**
Organic food is continuing to grow with one-quarter of Europeans now willing to pay a premium for organic products***
*(Source: Euromonitor International in Ireland http://www.euromonitor.com/ireland)
**(Source: Nielsen Market Share 52 w/e June 2017)
***(Source: Kantar, State of the Nation 2016)
Soup in Ireland recorded retail value growth of 2% in 2016 to reach €79.8 million, according to the latest research published on this category by Euromonitor Ireland. Chilled and instant soups spearheaded growth, each seeing its retail value sales increase by 4% over the year, the analyst reports.
And just as health and wellness has had a major impact on grocery right across the board, so too have these trends continued to permeate the soup category. According to Euromonitor, chilled soup is regarded as a healthy alternative to more traditional lunchtime meals such as sandwiches. In this regard, manufacturers and brands have truly stepped up to the mark and are offering consumers a greater variety of flavours and formats than ever. Similarly, Euromonitor reports instant soups, particularly low fat varieties, are regarded as a healthy replacement to tea and coffee for a mid-afternoon snack.
The forecast is also positive according to Euromonitor’s research. In fact, soup in Ireland is expected to record a retail value CAGR of 2% at constant 2016 prices over the report’s forecast period to reach €86.3 million by 2021. Ireland’s improving economy, combined with soup’s position as a convenient and healthy meal, is expected to cement growth within the category.
Number one top soup
Cully & Sully’s soups are all made with fresh vegetables and fresh Irish cream and butter
Cully & Sully is now Ireland’s number one soup across chilled and ambient, beating Knorr to the number one spot.
At Cully & Sully, the company says it knows that for great soup you need great ingredients. All of its soups are made with fresh vegetables, and use fresh Irish cream and butter.
Cully & Sully only uses ingredients that your granny has heard of; no nasty stuff. The group works hard to maintain the quality of its products, throughout the seasons, to ensure that customers are always getting the best soup
Cully & Sully’s Special Guest Soup will shortly change from Leek & Potato Soup to Squashed Vegetable Soup.
The group is also planning lots of exciting NPD for the end of 2017 on pies and soups. Keep an eye on the website, www.cullyandsully.com for updates.
Fresh and wholesome
Avonmore soups use nature’s best ingredients which are cooked slowly and packed immediately to ensure all the flavours are kept locked in
Avonmore is Ireland’s leading dairy brand, with products enjoyed on a daily basis in households across Ireland. Avonmore introduced Ireland’s very first fresh soup, in 1991, and has been famous for making these great tasting fresh soups in Kilkenny ever since. Avonmore soup is made using nature’s best ingredients, (including grass-fed dairy, fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs and spices). These carefully-selected ingredients are cooked slowly to ensure the flavours are kept locked in, and then packed immediately after cooking to ensure all the wholesomeness and freshness is maintained. This careful process ensures all Avonmore soups deliver on the promise of ‘the taste of homemade’.
Avonmore has a vast range of formats and flavours to suit every occasion, including 400g, 700g and 1KG cartons with a re-closable cap, which are suitable for both lunch-time and family meal occasions. Avonmore Premium soups (launched in 2015) come in convenient portable tubs, perfect for ‘al desko’ dining or a quick, nutritious meal at home. The Avonmore Premium soup range includes traditional favourites with a tasty twist, such as Vine Tomato with Aged Parmesan soup.
With the colder weather creeping in, Avonmore soups will warm up hungry tummies across Ireland this winter and are a must-stock item for the chilly evenings ahead.
Must-stock items
Knorr, the UK’s number one stocks brand from Unilever*, is adding two new ranges to its highly successful portfolio – Concentrated Liquid Stock and Organic Stock Cubes. Available since August, the new offerings are designed to help consumers quickly add rich flavour to their dishes.
With an abundance of choice when it comes to food, consumers are demanding more from brands and are increasingly searching for healthier alternatives and more authentic products. Organic food is continuing to grow with one-quarter of Europeans now willing to pay a premium for organic products**. To tap into this consumer trend, Knorr has developed Organic Stock Cubes in Chicken and Vegetable variants, designed to attract health conscious shoppers to the category.
The new Knorr Concentrated Liquid Stock is set to provide consumers with a versatile, flexible and easy-to-pour stock product. Available in Chicken, Vegetarian and Rich Beef variants, Knorr Concentrated Liquid Stock can be used in a variety of ways, ranging from brushing directly onto meats before barbecuing, to adding taste to stir-fries, or creating a rich stock base for flavoursome soups and casseroles.
Vanni Cataldi, Knorr marketing manager at Unilever UK says: “At Knorr we are pleased to be continually updating our offering to meet consumer needs. We believe that everyone deserves rich flavour when it comes to food, which is why we have developed liquid stock and healthier stock cube propositions, so that no-one has to compromise on great taste. As the leading stocks brand with the highest repeat purchase rate, we’re a trusted brand that attracts shoppers to the category and retailers can really capitalise on this.”
Both ranges feature packaging which reinforces the unique selling points of the product. Organic Stock Cubes’ pack design showcases the ingredients used, whilst the Concentrated Liquid Stock features versatile modern recipe inspiration.
*(Source: Nielsen Market Share 52 w/e June 2017)
**(Source: Kantar, State of the Nation 2016)
Comfort Irish
Sadie’s Kitchen Comforting Bone Broth can be consumed alone as a delicious hot drink, or used in a variety of recipes
With consumers always on the lookout for healthier options, bone broth has become a health food sensation in the US in recent years. Having spotted a gap in the market, Sadie’s Kitchen Comforting Chicken Bone Broth is Ireland’s first bone broth brand and Europe’s first salt free offering. It is a nutrient-dense, low calorie, gluten, salt, dairy, sugar and preservative-free bone broth product.
Since it was established two years ago, Sadie’s Kitchen has single-handedly created a brand new category of food in Ireland. After a successful debut, the brand’s expansion was given a major boost when founder Sarah Kiely made a successful appearance on RTE’s Dragon’s Den, which led to investment from entrepreneur Alison Cowzer.
Since then, Sadie’s Kitchen has gone from strength to strength, with plans afoot for further development of the brand for 2018 and beyond.
“Our innovation and impatience to always deliver the most nutrient-dense, delicious and quality products to consumers has helped with our success to date,” says Kiely. “We strive to differentiate and demonstrate the convenience of our product for time-poor customers seeking convenience without compromise and educate consumers about Sadie’s Kitchen’s commitment to health.”
Sadie’s Kitchen Comforting Bone Broth can be consumed alone as a tasty hot drink, or used in a variety of recipes, which are available at sadieskitchen.ie.
Sadie’s is stocked in selected Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, independents and health stores nationwide. For more info and stock info, visit sadieskitchen.ie or contact info@sadieskitchen.ie.
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