Soup strives for meal status

Prepared Foods, Jan, 1999

"People are still ordering soup as a first course or a side dish, but they also see soup as a standalone entree," says Bonnie Chlebecek, manager of Land O'Lakes Foodservice test kitchens.

When it comes to choosing between new, exotic soup varieties and the old standbys, many consumers still opt for the classics, such as chicken noodle, tomato and cream of broccoli. However, operators are encouraged to experiment with new recipes and provide variety, since 30% of respondents prefer new soup flavors when dining out.

Variety is reasonably inexpensive to maintain in the soup category, says Chlebecek. Because they can be prepared well in advance and perform well after long holding periods, soups offer an opportunity to increase the check total with nominal labor costs.

Meantime, soup's stock is rising at The Hain Food Group, which announced in December the acquisition of the Nile Spice Soup and Meal Cup business from Quaker Oats for an undisclosed sum. The line consists of premium soups and meals packaged in cups sold under the Nile Spice and Near East brand names.

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