Keurig, Campbell, unveil long-awaited soup in a K-Cup... but will it be a hit?
The soup is available via Keurig.com ($11.99 for a box of 8), Amazon, and grocery and club stores, and comes in two varieties: Homestyle Chicken Broth & Noodle Soup Mix and Southwest Style Chicken Broth & Noodle Soup Mix. Each serving contains 70 calories or fewer and no artificial colors or flavors.
Brewing the soup is a two-step process; each kit includes a noodle packet (which you must empty into a 12oz cup) and a K-Cup of broth (which you put in the Keurig machine).
Michael Goodman, marketing director, innovation, at Campbell Soup, said that more than 80% of people who buy Keurig pods also buy Campbell's soup, “so bringing together two products people love in one handy kit is a winning idea.”
According to Keurig Green Mountain, which said 40% of people are now snacking more than three times/day, the soups make an ideal snack for people in the office or at home that are looking for a healthier snack on the go.
Consumers are looking for snacks that serve as mini-meals to satisfy hunger
Whether this is a winner will depend on the experience, according to marketing experts quizzed by FoodNavigator-USA when the product was first announced. That is, will it be the savory equivalent of a premium coffeehouse experience in the comfort of your own home or office, or an overpriced and clunky way of making instant soup without a kettle that creates two empty packets instead of one?
(And can you be bothered to flush out your Keurig machine after you use it to ensure your late afternoon coffee doesn’t come with a hint of chicken noodle?)
However, it beats donuts if you get the mid-afternoon munchies and don’t want to be consumed with guilt for the rest of the afternoon, said Campbell Soup boss Denise Morrison: “Consumers are looking for snacks that serve as mini-meals to satisfy hunger, and there is an increasing need for ultra-convenient options.”
At a minimum, it gets consumers thinking about soup on a more regular basis
If the product taste is superior to existing instant soup products, however, it could be a winner, said Datamonitor innovation insights director Tom Vierhile: “The main reason that Campbell Soup is salivating over this opportunity is that they see the Keurig machine as the key to building soup consumption outside of traditional mealtimes.
“If the company can encourage people to snack on soup mid-morning, mid-afternoon or whenever, then this launch could be a game changer."
It also has the potential to give soup a higher profile in new channels, as Keurig machines are now popping up in thousands of workplaces, waiting rooms and offices, he said: "This could generate significant incremental sales for Campbell Soup. At a minimum, it gets consumers thinking about soup on a more regular basis."
Beverly Murray, founder of branding agency R+M, said the key would be managing consumer expectations. Is this a premium quality product for people looking for something better than canned soup, or a cheap, quick snack to grab instead of a chocolate bar if you need a pick-me-up without the extra calories?
