Soup is a perennial favorite―so much so that nearly nine in 10 consumers report purchasing at least one type of soup in the last six months, according to the market research firm Mintel.1 

But as the temperature drops, the popularity of soup comes to a full boil. Eighty-one percent of consumers ages 35-54 agree that soup is best in colder months, and a majority crave it as a go-to source for warm, comforting food.1 In fact, 80% of consumers say soup is a comforting meal when they feel stressed.1

Soup’s cold weather seasonality, versatility, and high demand as a comfort food set the stage for foodservice operators to pour on a variety of traditional and innovative soup options and soup-based recipes. 

Here are seven key strategies to maximize sales during soup season.

Tip 1: Embrace Fall and Winter Flavors

When using seasonal produce and flavors on the menu, it’s important to highlight these limited-time items on the menu, according to Executive Chef Gerald Drummond. 

“Calling out seasonal items on your menu demonstrates the operator is being relevant and using ingredients that are in season,” he said. “From a consumer standpoint, that’s something that they really look towards.” 

Autumn and winter bring forth a variety of hearty soup and stew options featuring warming flavors and in-season produce. 

Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve soups, including Chicken Tortilla, Loaded Baked Potato, and Butternut Squash, can offer an on-trend, convenient, labor-saving option while providing scratch-made quality and superior flavor.

As soup season continues into the winter, a balanced mix of indulgent and healthy offerings emerges. “In the winter months, you’ll see more braised and rustic menu items,” according to Chef Drummond. “You’re looking at dishes that are [heartier], dishes that stick to your ribs.”

Lobster bisque is a popular seasonal soup that adds variety to the menu during the cold winter months. Consider using Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Frozen Ready to Eat Lobster Bisque with Sherry as a stand-alone dish or as a versatile base for entrees.

With these hearty soup varieties, you’ll satisfy your customers’ desire for comforting, soul-warming fare.

Tip 2: Balance the Familiar and the Flavor-Forward

While traditional hearty soups reinforce soup’s winter seasonality and image as the ultimate emotional support food, operators have an opportunity to elevate the menu with options that combine nostalgia and novelty. 

In its 2025 report on soup, Mintel underscores the need to “bridge the gap between consumers’ love for familiar flavors and their curiosity for new experiences by creating innovative blends that offer comfort with a twist.”1

Ready-made winter soups with tasty twists on familiar flavors include Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Roasted Red Pepper and Smoked Gouda Soup and Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Broadway Basil and Tomato Bisque. 

As sources of hearty comfort, both soups work well as sides, main dishes, or ingredients for winter menu innovation. 

Bear in mind that soup makes an excellent platform for culinary exploration—an important consideration given that “younger soup eaters in particular express interest in trying new flavors and in ideas for customizing soup and using it in recipes,” as Mintel stated.1 

Cater to younger consumers’ craving for bold and intense taste experiences with flavor-packed options like Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Creole Chicken Gumbo—perfect as a standalone dish or savory side.

Tip 3: Accommodate Special Diets and Health Preferences

There are a lot of opportunities to accommodate customer dietary preferences and set your establishment apart. Operators can provide a wide variety of special diets on their soup menus, from elimination diets like gluten-free and dairy-free to lifestyle preferences like keto-friendly and vegan. This is key for attracting younger consumers who tend to have more varied tastes than older soup eaters. Twenty-seven percent of consumers ages 18-34 are interested in plant-based soups.1 Consider Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Vegan Vegetable Soup, which is vegetarian, gluten-free, and only 100 calories per serving.

Health preferences are important as well, as young consumers’ eating habits shift to health-conscious choices.1 Given that 34% would like soup options with functional health benefits,1 offering soups as a better-for-you option can be a winning strategy. Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Southwest Vegetarian Chili works as a hearty vegetarian main or side dish.

Highlighting options on the menu that cater to these preferences with iconography is a great way to demonstrate to diners that meeting their needs is your priority. 

Tip 4: Satisfy the Growing Appetite for Global Soups

lobal flavors, ingredients, and dishes are a great way to bring uniqueness to your menu. 

Global soups and stews appeal to 40% of consumers and appear on 68% of U.S. menus.2 Many international inspirations feature spicy and savory flavor profiles that can bring comforting warmth to menus during the cold months.

In particular, Asian soup flavors are trending, including:

  • Asam laksa (sometimes spelled “assam”)—a sour, pungent noodle soup with roots in Malaysia. Thirty-six percent of millennials are interested in trying it.2
  • Katsu kare—a highly approachable Japanese curry with ingredients like a fried pork or chicken cutlet, veggies, and curry sauce served over white rice. Forty percent of U.S. consumers are interested in trying it, and 71% who have tried it love or like it.2
  • Pho—a type of Vietnamese soup, typically made from beef stock and spices to which noodles and thinly sliced beef or chicken are added. Forty-one percent of U.S. consumers love or like it, and it’s expected to grow 30% on U.S. menus over the next four years.2

Create an approachable, globally-inspired soup by starting with Campbell’s® Condensed Tomato Soup and adding spices and ingredients to make it your own. For example, this Curried Lentil Tomato & Coconut Soup, starts with tomato soup but adds curried lentils, coconut milk, onions, and garlic.

Consider Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Wicked Thai Style Chicken and Rice Soup, which features a blend of chicken, rice, peppers, and aromatic spices that are enhanced with lemon grass, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, sliced chives, and rice. This ready-to-serve soup can also start as the launching off point for your own signature recipes. Or try our new Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Caribbean Jerk Soup, which is chock-full of chicken, kale, sweet potatoes, peppers, and a dash of coconut cream.

Tip 5: Dish Out Favorites

One way to bring new flair to favorite dishes is by transforming them into soups. 

Add delicious distinction to the menu by turning comfort food dishes into soups, such as chicken pot pie soup, beer cheese soup, and lasagna soup. These soups typically take all of the flavors, spices, and key elements, including any protein, vegetables, or pasta, from a dish. You can also have fun with the soup garnishes and toppings. For example, Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Jambalaya with Chicken and Sausage can be garnished with fresh herbs and peppers as well as mini cornbread. 

This technique can also be used to elevate well-known global dishes and appeal to the culinary wanderlust of younger consumers. Thirty percent of consumers ages 18-34 seek out soup featuring global cuisines.1 Consider converting trending Mexican dishes into soups, such as Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Mexican Street Corn Soup or Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Baja Style Chicken Enchilada Soup. These varieties tap into the global flavors trend with dishes as soup.1

Tip 6: Consider Portability

Today’s busy, on-the-go lifestyles make portability a sought-after trait for soups. Younger consumers, in particular, are drawn to the convenience of enjoying soup on the go. Thirty-eight percent of consumers ages 18-34 favor soup in portable packaging.1 Offering soups that are easy to transport in takeout containers or insulated cups can enhance the dining experience for your on-the-move customers. Portable varieties may also expand consumption of soups as hot snacks that give consumers moments of respite from the cold weather.

Tip 7: Savor Social Media Inspirations

Social media platforms like TikTok provide rich sources of soup inspiration and insights into consumer preferences.

Datassential cites pastina, a traditional Italian soup made with chicken stock, tiny pasta, butter, cheese, and egg, as a social media sensation, with 35% of consumers interested in trying it and an index score of 76 that reflects its growing popularity.3

Campbell’s® Sipping Soup Chicken Soup with Star-Shaped Pasta offers this trending soup variety in a convenient microwavable format for a soothing sip of comfort wherever consumers go. In addition, Campbell’s® Culinary Reserve Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup with White Chicken Meat makes a great base for signature recipes or can be served as a main dish or side.

Other tasty soup trends on TikTok and other social platforms include lasagna soup, which deconstructs the classic flavors of traditional lasagna into a savory spoonable format. For less prepwork and great flavor, use Campbell’s® Tomato Soup as a base. 

Another viral hit is loaded baked potato soup, packed with potato chunks, cheese, bacon, and all the fixings. Save time without sacrificing taste by starting with Campbell’s®Cream of Chicken Soup. TikToker foodies also pour on the love for hidden veggie orzo soup, a deliciously distinctive blend of vegetables and orzo pasta, often made with chicken or broth.

Soup’s On: Are You Ready? 

By embracing the tips outlined above, you can craft a soup season menu that resonates with a wide range of patrons, whether seeking comfort, flavor, taste exploration, or health benefits. Get more inspiration from our Recipe Catalog and elevate your restaurant’s soup season this year.

1 Mintel, Soup-US-2025, January 2025
2 Datassential, World Bites: Global Soups, February 7, 2025
3 Datassential, Social Media Sensations, October 2024