Watch that white space
Is that a soup, smoothie or juice? Actually, it’s somewhere between them all, and could be a whole new, untapped category.
“Cold soups have the potential to offset the inherent seasonality of soup category sales,” said Witham. “There is a 'white space' opportunity for branded fresh soup or fresh juice brands to develop cold soup products that cater to snacking occasions in the hotter months of the year and in hotter climates.
“The lines between soups, juices and smoothies are blurring, creating opportunities to carve out new space, especially in areas of the retail store that feature fresh produce.”
Profi is a Polish manufacturer which is leading the trend for sweet soups in the Eastern European country.
Marketing and brand manager for the firm Maja Tereszkiewicz told FoodNavigator that while smoothies tend to be thick, fibrous and made from raw ingredients, Profi’s soups have a lighter, more liquid consistency.
Profi also adds pasta or fruit pieces to differentiate its sweet fruit soups from ready-to-drink smoothies, and its range includes apple with cinnamon and noodles, and fruits of the forest with pasta pieces (pictured above).