Food companies target winter tastes

Soup launches have come thick and fast in the past few weeks, kicking off with Poland where Samsmak has recently launched a new variety of its instant soup range in shelf stable flexible packaging. Described as instant beetroot soup, it retails at €0.21 for a single serve 64 gramme package.

In the Czech Republic, Knorr has launched a new line of easy-preparation soups, again in shelf-stand flexible packaging. Reflecting the increasing sophistication of the processed food market there, key to the launch is the nutritional content. A high fibre content and six added vitamins are enabling Knorr to aim this product at the growing market for healthier meal serve options. Other ingredients include pasta and a 25 per cent vegetable content.

In Hungary, Dreher Sörgyarak launched a Winter Beer in time for Christmas. A dark beer with a strong alcohol content (5.1 per cent), the beverage is an extension of an existing range and is known as Téli Sör. The beer is packaged in an aluminium can with a red and gold design, evocative of winter, and is priced at €0.66 per can.

Also in Hungary, Szegedi Paprika has launched a new variety of tinned turkey sausage with beans. Billed as a canned meal, it is available in a standard 420 gramme can and comprises paprika and other spices. It is marketed at HF275 (€1.07).

The growth of the snacks market in the CEE region has been well documented in recent years. Included in the countless product launches of recent months is Barcel's Chipotles savoury tortilla snack which has been launched in the Czech Republic. Selling at €0.81 for a 125 gramme packet, the snack comes in flexible packaging and is a new product line from one of the country's leading providers of snacks.

This range of finished food and drink products is part of a selection from Mintel's Global New Product Database​.