Comforting, affordable and nutritious, and convenient, too, people turn to soup in challenging economic times. In the distant past, this meant making it from scratch. More recently, consumers could choose from canned or dried varieties.
Foodservice establishments used to always make soup from scratch. Now, with a less-skilled labor force, that’s a less-likely scenario.
The newest soup segment, refrigerated soup, has been slow to catch on—especially in the consumer market. Foodservice operations have been quicker to embrace this category. But this segment is growing, as both consumers and foodservice operations become more familiar with, and recognize the potential of, fresher, easy-to-prepare refrigerated soups.
Reasons for refrigerated
“Given the need for a long shelf life, canned soups have more sodium and preservatives than refrigerated soups,” says Dan Hemming, senior food technologist, Gilroy Foods & Flavors, Omaha, NE. “In addition, the canning process can create subtle off-flavors that can be perceived as ‘cooked’ or ‘tinned.’”
Foodservice operators have historically favored scratch soups. “It’s easy to prepare and versatile,” says Lori Miller, R.D., L.D., director, market development and sales, Eatem Foods Company, Hudson, OH. “But refrigerated bulk soups win in time and labor savings. There is little preparation and an ease of handling. No waste, no prep, no ingredient inventory to maintain, just excellent product consistency, quality and flavor.”
When he was a restaurateur, Volker Frick, executive chef, Kettle Cuisine, Chelsea, MA, dreamt of a quality refrigerated soup product that he could embellish with his own ingredients. “A French onion soup, for example, is a lot of work,” he notes. “Why not provide a product that is great, apply what you know, and make it your own soup? It allows chefs to work on other parts of the menu. And you need an educated staff to make good soup. You don’t need a talented staff if you have a good-quality refrigerated soup. Kitchens today don’t have the raw ingredients that used to go into soup.”
These higher-end, refrigerated soups have limited shelf life and few, if any, preservatives or stabilizers added, but also have a higher price point, giving them a limited market.
Retail vs. foodservice retherming
Refrigerated soups in retail have different considerations entirely than foodservice when it comes to end-user preparation. On the retail level, the soups are meant to be quickly reheated in a microwave, or on a stovetop, and immediately consumed. This makes them ideal products for convenience stores, gas station stores, kiosks and employee in-office kitchens. It also ensures the soup’s freshness, since it is quickly consumed and rarely reheated.