Spring is a time for new beginnings and refreshed menus. When updating your offerings for warmer weather, remember to consider your soup rotation. Soups are a great way to showcase the flavors of the season, all while driving traffic to your operation and increasing check averages, according to Technomic’s 2018 Soup & Salad Consumer Trend Report and The NPD Group CREST®. Start getting the most out of spring with these helpful tips.
Tip 1: Veggies are a must
Guests start thinking about summer diets in the spring, so it only makes sense that vegetable is a soup variety that spikes during this time according to The NPD Group SupplyTrack®. Technomic notes that nearly 75% of consumers say they’re more likely to purchase soup that includes a serving of vegetables, and 30% of consumers say they’ll often order a soup when they want to eat healthily. Vegetable-heavy, broth-based soups give you the opportunity to give options for people preparing for the summer body trend.
Tip 2: Seasonal ingredients stand out
Add more seasonality to your menu. Consider adding soups with ginger to meet your guests’ spring cravings—Technomic reported that 34% of consumers think ginger sounds like an ideal spring flavor and ingredient. The 2019 Technomic Season’s Eatings report noted that 46% of consumers also find zucchini to be an appealing spring vegetable. To drive additional volume and consideration, be sure to highlight these ingredients in soup descriptions on your menu.
Tip 3: Think outside the bowl
Guests are looking for trending spring flavors in all kinds of ways, and the right soups can help you deliver while reducing complexities. Soups can be a menu item as well as an ingredient in recipes. By getting more use out of one SKU, you can save time and labor in the back of the house. Give guests a taste of spring with this gazpacho-topped salad, which features a flavorful soup that can also be served on its own.
Knowing what guests crave throughout the year is a great way to maximize your soup offerings and drive sales in spring, summer, fall and winter. Keep guests coming back all year long with even more seasonal soup tips.
This post is sponsored by Campbell's Foodservice