Bill Patterson is a senior market analyst with Mintel International, a consumer, media and market research company with offices in Chicago and London. Mintel's Global New Products Database (GNPD) is the company's source of global product intelligence. This article draws from Mintel's reports "Soup--U.S., January 2011," "Side Dishes--U.S., June 2010" and "The Private Label Food and Drink Consumer--U.S., December 2010." Please visit http://reports.mintel.com for more information or call Mintel at 312-932-0400.
Soup sales benefit from consumers economizing. Vegetable, sodium substitutes and micronutrients are on the upswing, with opportunities present in ethnic flavors.