bake - October 2015 - 56

cafe

Soup Season
With fall here and the weather starting to get cooler and cooler,

"Soup and salad are traditional favorites, but consumers still

it's that time of the year when food preferences begin to change.

expect variety and something different on the menu," said

Some heavier and more comfort style foods make their way

Darren Tristano, executive vice president of Technomic.

back to the tables of American diners. One of the more popular
foods that show up in the fall and winter months is soup.

"Catering to consumers' need for variety when dining out -
while also striking a balance between craveable, healthy, and

Whether it's a hearty soup with lots of meat and vegetables, or

innovative yet familiar offerings that justify price points - will

a broth based soup with a lot of ﬂavor and fewer ingredients, it's

be important in driving soup and salad purchases. Operators

hot, tasty, and provides some comfort on chilly days and nights.

may also have room to ramp up soup and salad orders by
promoting their appeal across dayparts and meal parts."

Soup Sells
Almost half (46 percent) of American consumers visit certain

Soup Deals

restaurants speciﬁcally because they enjoy the soup, according

In the bakery café environment, soups will usually do best as part

to a Technomic consumer trend report. Other ﬁndings within

of a combo meal. While great soup can stand alone on the menu,

the Left Side of the Menu: Soup & Salad Consumer Trend

American diners generally prefer soup with something else.

Report include:
Obviously salads and sandwiches match up well and represent
* Half of consumers (51 percent) say it is important that soup

the traditional soup combo pairings. But your combos don't

can be bundled with other items; 60 percent say the same

have to be bland. And sometimes certain combos go together

regarding salad. Additionally, 58 percent of consumers even

better than others. Experiment with combinations.

say that they are more likely to order soup as a combo meal
than as a single item.

For soup to remain the star of the show, pair it with salads that
aren't too heavy or overbearing. Just a few select additions

* Fifty percent of consumers want to try new and unique soups.
Further, more than a third (35 percent) of consumers say they

to whatever greens you decide to use and a light dressing like
vinaigrette.

purchase soup because they want to try new varieties; 21
percent say the same for salad.

Buttery homemade biscuits and rolls, or nice, crusty, artisan,
whole-grain breads are perfect for soaking up the soup and

* Ethnic and innovative soups, such as Asian-style ramen and

making sandwiches.

chilled varieties, are poised for growth, particularly among
younger consumers. Kale, chopped and grain-based salads

As an alternative to the classic soup and sandwich, a wrap

are trending forward at the restaurant-chain level and in the

pairing with a nice soup will work as well, especially for health-

retail space.

conscious consumers who perceive wraps to be healthier.

56 < OCT 2015 | bakemag.com
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bake - October 2015

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