This report aims to offer a comprehensive view of the soup market. Research includes use of canned and dried soup; occasions for eating soup; brands purchased; amount of soup used in the last seven days; attitudes towards soup; and important factors in soup purchasing. Total U.S. sales of soup are predicted to increase 3% at current prices, reaching $3,953 million, but to decrease 10% at constant prices from 2005 to 2009.

Based on consumer research presented in this report, people prefer canned soup to dried products, and still rate taste as the most important factor when purchasing soup. Over 90% of respondents use some type of soup, making the product almost ubiquitous in American homes. The most popular occasion for eating soup is lunch, with dinner a close second, and a quarter of respondents have used soup as a recipe ingredient in the last month. Respondents with income under $30K are more likely than higher-income respondents to feel soup is not filling enough as a meal, while those with income over $50K tend to be more concerned with the fat, sodium and carb content of their soup.

The key challenge facing the industry is how to meet consumer demands for fast, convenient meal options with a product that is inherently less easy to handle than other foods. This is particularly crucial when targeting 18-34-year-old consumers, who are less concerned with health than older consumers and more accustomed to packaged convenience foods.

In this report, Mintel clearly identifies the principal external factors driving or curtailing growth in this market. Exclusive consumer research reveals the attitudes, needs and behavior of consumers, with analysis broken down both by demographic characteristics, and by segment.

Six years of specific sales data provide a factual and impartial presentation of the market as a whole. Mintel also evaluates the performance of individual sectors in the market, and provides information about the major companies and brands. Using the SPSS forecasting package, Mintel creates a five-year forecast of U.S. retail sales, revealing potential opportunities for growth and product development.

This report includes:

Condensed soup—canned soup that can be used as-is in recipes or needs to have water or milk added

Ready to serve soup (RTS)—canned or refrigerated soup that does not require additional ingredients

Dried soup mixes—are dehydrated and require the addition of water to cook; most of these require simmering, although some are instant and need only be stirred

Bouillon—squares or powder that can be used either to make stock or as an ingredient

Ramen—packaged dried soup with Asian-style noodles

Frozen soup—soup sold frozen, which needs to be defrosted and reheated, but requires no additional ingredients.