Despite the role of the traditional can in the soup category, consumers express strong interest in other forms of packaging – especially glass. Glass packaging outperforms plastic packaging in packaging interest, pointing to consumers’ interest in packaging that conveys quality, freshness and sustainability. Ensuring that packaging provides a convenient experience will remain a priority, but category players should consider how convenient formats such as pull-tops, microwaveable or single-serving products can evolve to tell a premium and fresh story.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to stockpiling and increased at-home cooking and eating, all of which supported increased soup purchasing and consumption across category segments, and huge dollar sales gains in 2020. A year later, however, consumers are less reliant on foods with long shelf-lives and are renewing their health goals, which is contributing to reduced consumption. As consumers increasingly return to their pre-pandemic routines through the remainder of 2021, foodservice operators and more portable, prepared foods will benefit from consumers eating, working and learning away from home once again.

One of the biggest threats to the soup market is a lack of interest from the next generation of soup consumers – those aged 18-24. Consumers aged 18-24 are some of the most likely to plan to cut back on their soup consumption or to have already cut back. Younger consumers are interested in smaller, portable packaging formats such as drinkable and snack-sized soups as well as soups with wellness claims and functional benefits, indicating category players will be challenged to modernize packaging and positioning.

The circumstances of COVID-19 caused consumers to turn to their own kitchens more than typical, causing them to hone their skills, invest in new household appliances and enjoy cooking as a hobby. Their newfound habits and appliances will open doors for brands to make soups of all types a cooking staple. Soup products can elevate the flavor and nutritional profile of both homemade soups and non-soup dishes, such as by adding broth to rice and vegetables. Popular household appliances, including the Instant Pot, present opportunities for partnerships and recipe inspiration.

• The impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior and the soup market

• Current and expected change in soup consumption frequency

• Reasons for eating soup more often

• Soup attitudes

• Interest in soup packaging and innovation

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

This Report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Soup: Incl the Impact of COVID-19 – US, 2020 and Soup – US, 2019, as well as the same title from 2018, 2017 and 2016.

For the purposes of this Report, soup is defined as including the following:

• RTS wet soup – canned soup that does not require additional ingredients

• Condensed wet soup – soup that can be used as-is in recipes or needs to have water or milk added to use as traditional soup

• Dry soup mixes – dehydrated and requiring the addition of water to cook; most of these require simmering, although some are instant and need only be stirred. Includes bouillon and ramen noodle soup mixes

• Ready-to-serve broth – flavored water with some form of meat, fish or vegetable used as a base for soups and sauces

• Refrigerated soup – soup that must be refrigerated to maintain freshness and heated to serve, but requires no added ingredients

• Frozen soup – soup that requires thawing and heating, but requires no added ingredients

Fresh soups prepared and packaged in-store and packaged soups sold in foodservice outlets are excluded from the Market Size in this Report.

At the time of Report writing, 150 million Americans are fully vaccinated and vaccination restrictions have loosened to include Americans aged 12+. The CDC updated its guidelines regarding mask wearing and social distancing in May 2021 and advises that those who have been fully vaccinated no longer need to do either, except where required by local governments or businesses. Vaccinations are expected to continue through 2021. As consumers get further into 2021, they will adopt more of their pre-pandemic routines, including a weaker reliance on their own homes for meal and snack times. The custom consumer research conducted for this Report was fielded in March 2021, and the Report was written in June 2021.

Mintel bases its expectations for economic growth on projections provided by the CBO, the FOMC, the Conference Board and other public sources. Consensus estimates forecast US GDP to increase by 6.5% in 2021. Unemployment has been forecast to decline to as low as 4.1% by the end of 2021 with an average of 5.7% for the year.

The first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the US in January 2020. It was declared a global health pandemic and national emergency in early March 2020. Across the US, various stay-at-home orders were put in place in Spring 2020, and nonessential businesses and school districts closed or shifted to remote operations. The remainder of 2020 saw rolling orders, as states and local governments relaxed and reinforced guidelines according to the spread of the virus in each region.

Vaccine rollout began in December 2020. Mintel anticipates business operations in the US will remain in a state of flux through 2021 as vaccines are widely administered and social distancing restrictions and capacity limitations are relaxed.