How Spicy Soups Can Boost Sales with Younger Consumers
What’s comforting, loaded with flavor, easy to prep and gaining popularity among younger guests? Soup, of course! According to Technomic, 49% of consumers aged 18-34 visit certain restaurants specifically because they enjoy the soup offered by those restaurants.1 Taking a closer look, 40% of these consumers are drawn to soup because it’s unique and 41% choose it because they cannot make it at home or purchase it from a retail store.1 The allure of soup as a special, location-specific experience creates a huge opportunity for operators. By working with Campbell to develop seasonal soup rotations and limited-time offers, operators can add a serious boost to traffic and margin.
And when it comes to the latest trends, all signs point to the insight that spice is nice: 40% of younger consumers prefer to order soups with spicy flavors.1 When looking to round out a soup lineup with options that bring the heat, there are a number of ways to do it.
Reimagine a tried-and-true soup selection as an invigorating, spicier version of its former self. For a simple-to-execute, mouthwatering application of this approach, start with Campbell’s® Signature Chicken Noodle Soup and garnish with Nashville Hot Chicken Bites and dill pickles. Nashville Hot is a flavor that’s up 11% on menus, year-over-year. It is also projected to have above-average penetration growth through 2024, increasing by .4 percentage points.2
Operators can also capitalize on a seasonal shift or create buzz with an LTO by adding a twist to a soup that’s already on the menu. Here are two ideas to get the spicy inspiration going:
- Create a Spicy Habanero Baked Tortilla soup by adding habanero hot sauce to Campbell’s® Signature Mexicali Tortilla Soup. Then treat it like a French Onion soup by topping it with tortilla strips and pepper jack cheese that’s bruleed until melted and toasted.
- Start with Campbell’s® Signature Loaded Baked Potato Soup and season with Chipotle hot sauce to add heat and a smoky, roasted flavor. Simply top with crumbled bacon, shredded cheese and scallions.
With 26% of consumers strongly agreeing that they are ordering soup from restaurants more often now than two years ago,1 there’s never been a better time to maximize the potential of soup. After all, empty bowls and satisfied customers are what it’s all about!
1Technomic 2022 Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report
2Tastewise
