Soup’s popularity has simmered with both dollar and unit sales down across food, drug and mass channels. Although the quick and easy lunch option thrived during the height of the recession, more heavily promoted simple meals stole some share during the 52 weeks ending June 13. But the entire category isn’t in the soup, as shoppers turn to subcategories like dry soup and ready-to-serve broth for ingredients in recipes. RTS broth had a particularly impressive showing, with sales up 5.1% — this while coming off a year of double-digit growth (11.2%) in the food channel. Meanwhile, RTS wet and condensed soups posted the most significant sales drops.
Soup makers like Campbell hope that a greater variety of reduced-sodium soups will help lift sales. The company is also reconfiguring its 24,000 iQ-Shelf Maximizer systems to incite trial of new types of condensed soup. Rather than organize them by attributes such as chicken or beef vegetable, the new set-up breaks varieties into four color-coded and benefit-based categories including Classic Favorites, or trusted varieties with high penetration; Taste Sensations, soups with adventurous flavor profiles; Healthy & Delicious, items touting overt health claims; and Healthy Kids, for nutritious soups geared toward children. The effort will be completed next month.