Focus On Cooking Sauces and Meal Kits: 26 February

By Harry Holmes Harry.Holmes@thegrocer.co.uk 

Publishing: 26 February 2022
Advertising deadline: 11 February 2022
Submissions deadline: 4 February 2022

Cooking sauces grew to £950m between 2019 and 2021 [NielsenIQ 52 w/e 11 September 2021], enjoying a £100m boost as people took up scratch cooking. So how can the category continue to entice shoppers? Judging by recent launches, health benefits are a big part of the answer. Recent rollouts have offered two of shoppers’ five a day in fruit and veg, or are focusing on reduced sugar. How much are these healthier lines worth, compared to core lines? Can they grow ahead of the market? And how else are suppliers making the category more exciting?

NPD: To what extent is cooking sauce innovation being led by health? Which new products have launched, and which are proving most popular?

Sugar: To what extent is sugar reduction the focus on these healthier recipes? What other tactics are suppliers using to communicate health e.g. five a day/natural ingredients?

Post-pandemic habits: As more activities outside the house have resumed, people have found themselves with less time for cooking. So what does this mean for the overall cooking sauce market? And can healthy lines boost appetite?

Brands vs own label: To what extent is the health drive being led by brands? And is own label starting to catch up? Can brands command a premium and a point of difference over retailer lines by touting health benefits?

Innovations: Profile of four new products or ranges that have not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each.