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WINTER WARMERS FROM PAGE 38 all about quality, taste and nutrition. “Our delicious range of soups have been created with premium quality produce and made to traditional recipes packed full of flavour,” he said. “This wholesome soup range, including a few vegan variants, contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. “Consumers are looking for soups that are nutritious while also providing hearty, wholesome ingredients that fill you up on cold winter days.” Mr de Villiers adds that soup is a perfect winter warmer. “It’s an opportunity to leverage these winter conditions with increased shelf space for soups and ... to drive soup sales,” he said. Moreover, according to Mr de Villiers, the company’s ethos is not just great food products but also supporting local Australian food supply and a sustainable future. “We support Australian farmers, sourcing our ingredients for our soup from local produce,” he said. “South Australia also has strict protocols against GM \[genetic modification\] so we steer clear of GM produce. “We’re proudly located in South Australia where we have direct access to the very best quality, non-GMO Australian ingredients. With a passion for a sustainable future, we refer to our soups as ‘powered by the sun’ as the majority of our daytime power \[is\] being supplied by our solar panel system. “We’ve also implemented new technology to reduce our water usage during production by 90 per cent, which is important in South Australia given the propensity for it to be the direst state on the driest continent.” Mr de Villiers believes retailers have an opportunity to showcase the origin of their soup offerings during the cooler months. “I think differentiating which soup products are ... made from Australian produce \[is\] a good way to show support for local farmers after droughts and bushfires,” he said. “Also, telling the story of one or two farming families that supply the ingredients for the soups is a great way to put a personal touch to the category.” Doing the Pitango Founded by Yasmin and Ofer Shenhave, “who were originally cooking soups for family and friends,” Pitango has quickly grown to become “one of the most popular soup and meal brands distributed across New Zealand and Australian through Australian family- owned company Beak & Johnston”. “Fresh soups have long had a reputation for being the ideal healthy and comforting winter meal,” Beak & Johnston Brand Manager Hannah McDonald said. “As opposed to canned or ambient soups, fresh homemade soups can be full of healthy nutrients and packed full of protein and vegetables to sustain our energy levels throughout the day.” While soup can be “healthy and delicious”, as Ms McDonald points out, it can “take time and effort to make”. “Pitango has perfected the home cooked soup, freshly sealed in a convenient pouch,” she said. “Each pack is cooked with care and passion in the Pitango kitchen, guaranteeing you a home-cooked taste that’s full of goodness.” When it comes to soup, the most important factors are taste, quality and health, largely due to rising health trends. “The key to success,” Ms McDonald said, 40 RETAIL WORLD JUN, 2020