Prepared Foods - March 2009 - (Page 40)

2009 New Products Annual soups and side dishes That effort starts with repositioning soup as a more “natural” product. Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics notes that 51.2% of 2008’s new soup introductions in the U.S. claimed they were “natural” or were made from “natural” ingredients. That is a sizeable leap from 2006, when 27.6% of new soup launches made a similar claim. Shying away from highly processed ingredients is only part of the health story. Soup makers are also tweaking recipes to eliminate or reduce ingredients like salt, sodium, MSG and gluten. Campbell Soup took a lead position on the sodium issue back in 2006, when it reformulated its Healthy Request and Low Sodium Condensed Soup lines with a form of sea salt that cut the sodium content of its recipes by 40%, without sacrificing taste. That move has definitely paid off, with sales of Campbell’s reduced-sodium soups accelerating from just under $100 million in 2003 to $650 million in 2007. This success has also had a positive impact on reduced-salt and -sodium soup launches. Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics shows that 22% of 2008’s new soup product introductions in the U.S. made no-, low- or reducedsalt or -sodium claims compared to just 14.9% of products that did so in 2006. This trend should continue, as Campbell kicked off 2009 by lowering the sodium content for 12 of its soups for kids. Soup manufacturers are also eliminating MSG from their new offerings. Datamonitor reports that the “no MSG” claim was utilized on 26.8% of 2008’s new soup launches in the U.S., a massive increase from the 6.9% of launches that made a “no Swanson’s Cooking Stock is meant to be used in “main meat dishes, gravies and sauces,” to enhance meat juiciness and flavors, says the company’s website. The stock has 33% less sodium than the company’s regular broth and comes in an aseptic package with a pour spout for easy handling and pouring. MSG” claim in 2006. Gluten is another substance that is getting the axe. Some 8.5% of 2008’s new soup product launches in the U.S. claimed to be free of gluten, up from just 4.6% of launches making the same claim in 2006, says Datamonitor. The rush to cleanse ingredient labels of anything perceived to be “bad for you” has also spilled over into product advertising. Hardhitting ads from Campbell Soup depict General Mills’ Progresso brand in a negative light by comparing product ingredient lists. In an advertising campaign somewhat reminiscent of the Pepsi Challenge, print ads duplicate full ingredient lists for Progresso’s Traditional Italian-Style Wedding Soup and Campbell’s Select Harvest Italian Style Wedding Soup, noting the presence of MSG in the Progresso product, as well as other potentially less-than-healthy ingredients. Text above the Progresso soup says “bring your dictionary,” while “bring your appetite” is printed above the Campbell offering. Ouch! New product offerings for soup were less pugnacious than soup advertising was in 2008, setting up the category for future sales gains. Arguably, the biggest news of the year was Campbell’s extension of its V8 brand into soup. Marking the first time that V8 has moved outside of beverages, Campbell’s V8 Going Global: Soups and Side Dishes When it comes to adding color to the soup market, soups launched outside of the U.S. have taken the task literally. “Colour is a sign of goodness from nature” reads promotional literature touting Unilever’s new Knorr Eat Colour line of soups, debuting in Europe and South America. Evaluating the healthiness of food based on color is an idea that is catching on, as Superfruits like açai and pomegranate have provided support for the concept. The Knorr product comes in red, white and yellow colors, with the latter boasting a high-fiber content and featuring pumpkin, corn, apricot and leek ingredients. The color black has come to signify good health in Japan, where black vinegar and black sesame are renowned as healthy ingredients. New in Japan, Asahi Kuroi Potage (black potage) is actually a black-colored soup made with sweet corn blended with black sesame paste. Japan’s Ezaki Glico takes the concept and expands on it with Glico Kuro Harusame Soup. This new, instant soup in a cup features black starch noodles that are made with very finely ground hijiki seaweed that is kneaded into the noodle dough. Beyond color, weight control may offer new market opportunities. In South Africa, Bodymate Reduce & Shape Fat Burning Soup claims to promote fat loss, a novel claim. Offered in a Sundried Tomato and Basil flavor, this fiber-enriched soup satisfies the appetite for as long as four hours and also boosts energy. 40 March 2009 ● www.PreparedFoods.com http://www.PreparedFoods.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Prepared Foods - March 2009

Prepared Foods - March 2009 Contents MarketWatch 2009 Spirit of Innovation Awards Meals on Demand Baked Goods: Baked in 2008 Growth in Soups and Side Dishes Beverages: Defending Drinks Cereals: At the Bars Snacks Dealing with Dairy On the Sauce: Sauces and Dressings Abstracts R&D Trends: Update on Healthy Ingredients

Prepared Foods - March 2009

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