Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- The issues
- Category engagement starts and ends with traditional condiments
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- Figure 1: Condiment Consumption, September 2019
- Taste and versatility are vital, yet under-delivered
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- Figure 2: Condiment associations, September 2019
- Small households need a boost
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- Figure 3: Condiment consumption, by household size, September 2019
- The opportunities
- Recipes encourage purchase
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- Figure 4: Condiment behaviors, September 2019
- Condiment brands can lead a gut health conversation
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- Figure 5: Net fermented condiment attitudes, September 2019
- Bringing international influence inside the home
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- Figure 6: change in international cuisine consumption, November 2017-August 2019
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- Figure 7: Directionally fast-growing flavors in new US food* product launches, July 2016-June 2019
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Condiments maintain steady growth
- Salad dressing may have plateaued
- Competition goes beyond the condiments category
- An aging population favors the category
- Interest in international flavors an opportunity
Market Size and Forecast
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- Slow but steady growth ahead for condiments
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- Figure 8: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of condiments, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 9: Total US sales and forecast of condiments, at current prices, 2014-24
- Minimal change expected in salad dressing
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- Figure 10: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of salad dressing, at current prices, 2014-24
- Figure 11: Total US sales and forecast of market, at current prices, 2012-22
Market Breakdown
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- Pickles, olives and relish drive category sales
- Other sauces’ success an indicator of where consumer interest lies
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- Figure 12: Total US retail sales and forecast of ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, other condiments, and pickles, olives, and relish and other condiments at current prices, $ million, 2019
- Figure 13: Total US retail sales and forecast of pickles, olives, and relish and other condiments at current prices, 2014-24
- Mayonnaise and mustard struggle to drive growth
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- Figure 14: Total US retail sales and forecast of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise, at current prices, 2014-24
Market Perspective
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- The line between sauces, marinades and condiments is blurred at best
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- Figure 15: Condiment and dressing attitudes, October 2017
- The fresher, the better
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- Figure 16: Health attributes sought, May 2018
- Snacking increases
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- Figure 17: Snacking frequency, January 2015 and November 2018
Market Factors
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- Average age increase may boost the category
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- Figure 18: Population by age, 2013-23
- International flavors growing at home
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- Figure 19: International food preferences – Any type of purchase NET, November 2018
- Figure 20: Directionally fast-growing flavors in new US food* product launches, July 2016-June 2019
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Kraft holds its position on the leaderboard
- Premium options thriving
- Bring the heat
- Natural positioning struggles to resonate
- Condiments go functional
Company and Brand Sales of Condiments
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- Kraft continues to dominate as smaller brands crowd the category
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- Figure 21: MULO (Multi-Outlet) sales of ketchup; mayonnaise; mustard; other condiments; dressing; and pickles, olives and relish, by leading companies and brands, % market share 2019 rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of condiments, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Private label continues to compete with brand leaders
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- Figure 23: Multi-outlet sales of private label brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
What’s Working
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- Not your basic condiment
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- Figure 24: MULO sales of premium condiments, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Condiments are the sum of their parts
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- Figure 25: MULO sales of condiments with ingredient sourcing positioning, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Figure 26: The stuff of legends: the Sir Kensington’s Ingredient story, January 2017
- Variety the spice of life
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- Figure 27: MULO sales of spicy condiments with different peppers, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 28: Fast-growing food menu incidence, by sauce ingredient flavor, Q2 2018- Q2 2019
- Cutting through the clutter with co-branding
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- Figure 29: MULO sales of restaurant-branded condiments, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Hold the (artificial) sugar
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- Figure 30: MULO sales of low/no/natural sugar condiments, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Snack-sized and ready-to-go
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- Figure 31: MULO sales of pickle/olive condiments with snack positioning, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
What’s Struggling
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- Classics overshadowed by private label
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- Figure 32: MULO sales of basic condiments, rolling 52 weeks 2018
- Greek yogurt overthrown by avocado
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- Figure 33: MULO sales of condiments with greek yogurt, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Consumers can’t taste all natural positioning
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- Figure 34: MULO sales of condiments with natural positioning, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
What to Watch
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- Good for the gut condiments
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- Figure 35: condiments with functional benefits
- Figure 36: Social mentions of probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics, July 2018 - July 2019
- International influence
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- Figure 37: Condiments with international influence
- Everything formulations
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- Figure 38: Condiments with international influence
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Nearly everyone consumes condiments
- Taste and flavor trump BFY attributes
- Premium and uniqueness worth the money
- Recipes the tactic to inspire increased use
- Interest in fermented options is alive, but education is needed
Condiment Consumption
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- Condiments hold nearly universal penetration
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- Figure 39: Condiment consumption, September 2019
- Figure 40: Net condiment consumption, September 2019
- Older consumers more engaged, except where things get spicy
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- Figure 41: condiment consumption repertoire, by age, September 2019
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- Figure 42: Condiment consumption, by age, September 2019
- Small households consume the least
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- Figure 43: Condiment consumption, by household size, September 2019
- Quality seekers and time savers lean on the staples
- Specialty sauces fit the bill for adventurous eaters
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- Figure 44: Condiment consumption, by food and drink segmentation, September 2019
- Consumption varies by race and origin
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- Figure 45: Condiment consumption, by race and origin, September 2019
Condiment Attributes
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- It all comes down to taste
- Low brand importance an opportunity
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- Figure 46: Condiment attributes, net any rank, September 2019
- Figure 47: Condiment attributes, by rank, September 2019
- Flavor most important among specialty options
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- Figure 48: Crosstab of condiment attributes, net any rank by condiment consumption, September 2019
- Versatility most important among least-consumed condiments
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- Figure 49: Crosstab of condiment attributes, net any rank by condiment consumption, September 2019
- Low/no attributes appeal more to older consumers
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- Figure 50: Condiment attributes, net any rank, by age, September 2019
Attributes that Warrant Increased Pricing
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- Condiment consumers interested in innovation
- All-natural wins over no artificial or no additives
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- Figure 51: Condiment attributes that encourage increased pricing, September 2019
- TURF Analysis
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- Figure 52: TURF Analysis – Premium attributes, September 2019
- Specialty condiment consumers report higher willingness to pay more
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- Figure 53: Crosstab of condiment attributes that encourage increased pricing by condiment consumption, September 2019
- Younger consumers more motivated by uniqueness and wellness
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- Figure 54: Condiment attributes that encourage increased pricing, by age, September 2019
- Dads ready to pay a premium
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- Figure 55: Condiment attributes that encourage increased pricing, by parental status by gender, September 2019
Condiment Associations
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- Taste and versatility associations have room to grow
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- Figure 56: Correspondence Analysis – Principal map – Condiment associations, September 2019
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- Figure 57: Condiment Associations, September 2019
- Health associations are weak, but so are expectations
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- Figure 58: Condiment Associations, September 2019
- Weak premium associations a challenge for R&D
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- Figure 59: Condiment Associations, “premium,” September 2019
- Younger consumers less impressed with taste
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- Figure 60: Condiment Associations, “tasty,” by age, September 2019
Condiment Behaviors
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- Recipe content an important tool to drive purchase
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- Figure 61: Condiment behaviors, September 2019
- Impulse shoppers make a case for quality packaging
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- Figure 62: Condiment behaviors, purchase motivated by impulse, September 2019
- Young consumers struggle to find new uses for condiments
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- Figure 63: Condiment behaviors, “i struggle to find new uses for condiments,” by age, September 2019
- Parents interested in hybrid condiments
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- Figure 64: Condiment behaviors, “interested in hybrid condiments,” by parental status, September 2019
Fermented Condiment Attitudes
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- Flavor reigns supreme in fermented condiments
- Brand interest higher in fermented condiments
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- Figure 65: Net Fermented Condiment Attitudes, September 2019
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- Figure 66: Fermented condiment attitudes, September 2019
- Fermented foods have consumers’ attention, but education is needed
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- Figure 67: Condiment attitudes, net fermented, September 2019
- Parents more interested in fermented condiments
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- Figure 68: Net Fermented Condiment Attitudes, any agree or disagree, by parental status, September 2019
- Men more influenced by portability
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- Figure 69: Net fermented condiment attitudes, interest in fermented condiments with portable packaging, any agree, by gender, September 2019
- Larger households need recipe inspiration
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- Figure 70: Net fermented condiment attitudes, by household size, September 2019
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Fan chart forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Food and Drink Segmentation
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
Appendix – The Market
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- Market Perspective – GNPD search definitions
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- Figure 71: Total US retail sales and forecast of condiments, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 72: Total US retail sales of condiments, by segment, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
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- Figure 73: Total US retail sales and forecast of ketchup, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 74: Total US retail sales and forecast of mustard, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 75: Total US retail sales and forecast of pickles, olives, and relish, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
- Figure 76: Total US retail sales and forecast of other condiments, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
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- Figure 77: Total US retail sales and forecast of mayonnaise, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2014-24
Appendix – Retail Channels
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- Figure 78: Total US retail sales of condiments, by channel, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 79: Total US retail sales of condiments, by channel, at current prices, 2017 and 2019
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- Figure 80: US supermarket sales of condiments, at current prices, 2014-19
- Figure 81: US sales of condiments through other retail channels, at current prices, 2014-19
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Appendix – Key Players
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- Figure 82: Multi-outlet sales of ketchup, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 83: Multi-outlet sales of mustard, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 84: Multi-outlet sales of pickles/relish/olives, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 85: Multi-outlet sales of other sauces, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 86: Multi-outlet sales of mayonnaise, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
- Figure 87: Multi-outlet sales of salad dressing, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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- Figure 88: Multi-outlet sales of salad dressing, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2018 and 2019
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