Anila's Authentic Sauces Set To Excite Green-fingered Shoppers At Notcutts
Premium curry sauce producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won an order to directly supply 13 stores in the Notcutts garden centre group.
The outlets are each taking a selection of 13 curry sauces, chutneys and pickles.
Anila Vaghela, who runs Anila’s Authentic Sauces, said: “We are very pleased to be directly supplying Notcutts with our award-winning products to add to the ranges in their food halls. It means our customers have more places from which to buy their favourite curry sauces, chutneys and pickles.”
Anila, who is this year celebrating 20 years in the business after selling her first jar of homemade curry sauce at a fair in Weybridge, Surrey, in March 1992, produces eight varieties of curry sauce and 16 types of a mix of pickles, chutneys and dips. The firm supplies hundreds of outlets that include garden centres, delis, farm shops, gift shops and also health stores. It also sells direct to the public at farmers’ markets and at food shows and festivals as well as online via www.anilassauces.com
Anila’s sauces are based on a traditional family recipe, made from the freshest ingredients in small batches. They are free from artificial colours, additives and preservatives, and are sugar, dairy and gluten free, and contain no onion or garlic. Using 23 different spices, the sauces have a homemade quality just like “Mum makes”.
Based in Walton-on-Thames, with a unit in Hounslow, Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won 11 Great Taste Awards from the Guild of Fine Food for its products. Its Goan Green Curry Sauce was named Best Vegan Product in The Veggie Awards 2011 by Cook Vegetarian! magazine, with the judges saying: “Not only one of the best vegan curry sauces we’ve ever tried but one of the best curry sauces available. Its complexity of flavours makes its taste truly sensational.”
In 2009 Anila’s Spicy Korma Curry Sauce scooped a “Free From” Food Award.
Cup Soups Get A New Feel With Heinz Squeeze & Stir
Market leader Heinz, is bringing its new cup soup format - Heinz Squeeze & Stir – to the convenience channel.
Made from a concentrated purée, each recipe contains ‘one of your five a day’, has no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives or MSG and is low in fat. The purée format delivers an outstanding product in terms of taste, consistency and goodness credentials.
The Heinz Squeeze & Stir range is available in handy, lightweight, squeezable sachets, with a RRP of £0.59. All consumers need to do is simply squeeze the soup into a cup, add boiling water, stir and enjoy. The range provides a perfect solution to a mid-morning or afternoon snack, as well as an accompaniment to a sandwich.
Available to convenience store retailers from the start of February, the Heinz Squeeze & Stir range includes the following varieties: • Cream of Tomato (70g) • Mediterranean Vegetable (70g) • Cream of Tomato with Basil (70g) • Minestrone (70g)
Matthew Cullum, Marketing Controller Heinz Soups, says: “The Heinz Squeeze & Stir range, offers consumers the opportunity to prepare a delicious and nutritious snack in the time it takes to boil a kettle. The instant soups are great on their own or as an accompaniment to a lunchtime sandwich. The Squeeze & Stir range includes some of our most popular varieties and provides one of your five a day in each recipe.
“As Heinz Squeeze & Stir has been well received by consumers buying the major multiples, we hope launching this innovation in convenience stores will drive incremental sales for the category, as well as increasing sales for our retail partners.”
Retailers should place the Heinz Squeeze & Stir Soup in the cup soup fixture in order to drive interest and sales.
Heinz currently has a 38.9% value share of the total UK soup market which is worth £581. Heinz continues to lead the wet ambient sector of the soup category (worth £325 million) with a value share of 68.6%. The dry/instant soup sector is worth £91 million annually and is currently showing growth on a 52 week basis of 3.7%.
Consumer Chosen Soup Of Month Launched By New Covent Garden
Fresh soup specialist New Covent Garden has launched the first of its Soup of the Months to be devised and chosen by consumers, as a result of its new social media campaign.
The brand handed over the future development of its Soup of the Month recipes to consumers in summer 2011 with the creation of an online community of soup fans, developed with social media agency Fresh Networks.
Members are invited to submit their own recipes based on a pre-selected theme, which are then voted for online.
January’s Soup of the Month, ‘Michael’s Chicken & Creamed Corn Soup’, was submitted by student Michael Lamont and celebrates Chinese New Year, which in 2012 marks the Year of the Dragon.
Inspired by a recipe Michael’s Dad used to make, the Oriental-style soup recipe involves adding egg in a method known as ‘egg-drop soup’.
Nigel Parrott, New Covent Garden’s Group Marketing Director, said: “We’re delighted with the response to our online campaign, which is successfully introducing a new audience of younger consumers to the brand.
“The voting aspect of the campaign, which is highlighted by an eye-catching ‘voted by you’ rosette on-pack, gives consumers a refreshing sense of brand ownership which will play an important role in attracting attention to the soup fixture.
“The impressive quality of entries we received reflects the high level of consumer engagement with New Covent Garden’s soups.
“Michael’s authentic, flavoursome recipe is a true winner and we’re certain it will deliver incremental profits for retailers.”
Encouraged by an on-pack call to action, consumers can continue to submit recipes for future Soup of the Months at www.newcoventgardensoup.com, where recipes, tips and a blog are encouraging further engagement with the brand.
Michael’s Chicken & Creamed Corn Soup will be available until the end of January 2012 with an RRP of £2.20 in outers of six.
Premium curry sauce producer Anila’s Authentic Sauces has won an order to directly supply 13 stores in the Notcutts garden centre group.
Market leader Heinz, is bringing its new cup soup format - Heinz Squeeze & Stir – to the convenience channel. 
Fresh soup specialist New Covent Garden has launched the first of its Soup of the Months to be devised and chosen by consumers, as a result of its new social media campaign.