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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
A sauce is a liquid or semi-liquid preparation that accompanies certain dishes. There are many different types of sauce, and in this study we will distinguish between hot and cold sauces. We will focus on the retail market for sauces, although out-of-home catering is also a customer for sauce manufacturers, as is the food industry for intermediate consumption.
The sauces market is a sub-segment of the condiments and seasonings market, and mainly comprises :
- tomato-based sauces (ketchup, bolognese, etc.) and soy sauces
- emulsified sauces (mayonnaise, salad dressing, etc.)
- ready-made sauces (béarnaise, etc.)
- vinaigrette sauces
- prepared mustards
On a global scale, the market is growing fast and is marked by a wide range of products. It is dominated by the two groups Kraft Heinz and Unilever, which own numerous brands.
In France, the value of sauce production by French companies has been growing at an average annual rate of 2% for almost a decade.
Nevertheless, France relies on foreign exports to meet domestic demand. In 2023, sales of sauces in France are expected to grow by around 12% compared with 2022. Both Kraft Heinz and Unilever are present in France via French brands such as Benedicta and Amora-Maille . Worldwide, the sauces and condiments market is expected to grow strongly over the period 2023 - 2032, with a compound growth rate equal to 5.6%.
Organic and natural trends are not escaping the sauces market, which remains highly competitive in France with new recipes being launched frequently.
1.2 A growing world market for sauces
The global sauces market is estimated at US$***.* billion in ****. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of *.*% to ****, reaching US$ ***.* billion.
Global sauces market sizeWorld, **** - ****, in billions of dollarsSource: ****
IF each region has its own sauce preferences - consumers like to try sauces from other parts of the ...
1.3 The French market: a dynamic domestic market
Sauces and condiments production in France
The sauces market is a sub-segment of the condiments and seasonings market.
The condiments and seasonings market is on the rise - with estimated sales of €*.*** billion in ****. The sharp rise in sales in **** is linked to the current inflationary context.
Size of the sauces ...
1.4 France's foreign trade
To estimate foreign trade figures, the NC* codes on Finances.gouv for various sauces such as Mustard, Soy Sauce and Ketchup and Tomato Sauces were considered.
France's foreign trade in sauces France, ****, in millions of euros Source: ****
France's coverage of this market is **%. This shows that France imports far more sauces ...
1.5 The impact of the Covid-19 crisis
In ****, sales were slightly higher due to Covid-**, with greater consumption of pasta - and therefore sauces - in particular. Sales of hot sauces rose by **.*% in ****, and by a further *.*% in value and *.*% in volume to October **, ****. This growth is due to both supply (***) and demand, with consumers looking for ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 Analysis of demand for hot and cold sauces
Cold sauces:
Cold sauces include sauces such as mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressings and variety sauces - barbecue, burger, béarnaise, tartar, bourguignonne. Their sales grew by *.*% between **** and ****. Most often, mustard is also included in this category [***].
The segment's growth is explained by the large number of home meals in **** with ...
2.2 Frequency of sauce consumption in France
most French people describe themselves as "light users" of sauces for cooking - i.e., they don't use them very much, especially pasta sauces, which still have room for maneuver. In fact, their penetration rate is **.*%, and the weight sold per purchaser per year is *.* kg, at a cost of **.** euros. ...
2.3 Focus on the segments most appreciated by the French
Growth segment for cold sauces: variety sauces (***) [***]:
Variety sauces having seen the strongest growth in ****, the chart below looks at the variety sauces most popular with the French.
Number of French people using sauces at the table in households, by type of sauce France, ****, thousands of respondents Source: ****
Hot sauces on ...
2.4 Demand trends: organic, natural ... and always tasteful
There are two types of consumer in the sauces market: [***] - those who are looking for simple, inexpensive products
those looking for easy-to-use, inexpensive products, those who want quality products and enjoy cooking.
The sauce industry is no exception to the trend towards organic, healthy and natural products, but these demands ...
2.5 France's favorite brands
The graph below is based on OpinionWay's survey of French consumers' favorite brands in February ****. It shows respondents' answers to the question "Do you like this or that brand of sauce?" for each brand, with the percentage corresponding to the proportion of respondents who answered "yes".
Amora is France's favorite sauce ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Sauce market value chain
In summary, the sauces market can be summarized along the following value chain:
Sourcing: The raw materials needed to produce sauces, such as herbs, spices, oils and vegetables, are purchased from local and international suppliers. Production: Raw materials are processed into sauces according to recipes and quality standards. Bottling and packaging: ...
3.2 Analysis of production in France
The graph below shows the breakdown of sauce production in France according toEurostat - Data Explorer data.
Structure of sauce production France, ****, in Source: ****
The table below highlights the evolution of the different segments since **** and the share of French production in European production (***)
We can therefore see that France has ...
3.3 Sauce dispensing
The graph below shows the market share of distribution channels in the hot sauces retail trade (***) according to Lsa-conso. We can imagine that the trends are the same for cold sauces.
Market share of distribution channels in the hot sauces retail trade France, ****, in Source: ****
3.4 Segmentation and dynamics of the two main players
Market players can be distinguished according to the type of sauces they offer: cold or hot. Group brands can also be distinguished, as the two giants Unilever and Heinz have different brands in France.
Strategy and dynamics of the two major players :
Table comparing the two giants Heinz and Unilever (***) on ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Typology of products and players
Sauces can be differentiated in various ways, the most common being between cold and hot sauces.
Hot sauces are most often made with tomato pulp, purée, concentrate or coulis. There are also sauces made without tomatoes, using a variety of vegetables, such as pestos. These are mainly starch sauces (***), but ...
4.2 Prices
The graph above shows that, in an inflationary context, prices were **% higher in March **** than in ****. On the other hand, the sauces market is highly competitive, as evidenced by the downward pressure on prices until recent inflation saw prices soar.
Sauce price index France, ****-****, base *** in **** Source: ****
In reality, prices ...
4.3 Supply trends
Innovations: new flavors and recipes
Heinz has launched a "Street Food" range for tacos, burgers and wraps with three new recipes:
basil & sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions& bacon, jalapeño salsa.
On the other hand, building on the success of its Zero ketchup, Lesieur introduces a *** g format and a ketchup with ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulatory framework
First of all, France is obliged to comply with EU directives and regulations. The sauces, dressings and condiments industry, which comes under the food category, is included in this framework. Food products marketed in the EU must comply with European Regulation ****/****. This article requires accurate and fair product labeling. The exact ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Positioning the players
- Unilever Groupe
- Kraft Heinz
- Ebro Foods Group
- Amora Maille
- Lesieur (Avril Groupe)
- Barilla
- Mutti
- Benedicta (groupe Kraft Heinz)
- Italians do it Better (Avril Groupe)
- Polli
- Sauces & Créations
- Solina
- Le Graët Groupe
List of charts presented in this market study
- Size of the global sauces and condiments market
- Size of the condiment manufacturing market in France
- Breakdown of sauces sales (consumer prices)
- Structure of sauce production
- Market share of distribution channels in the hot sauce retail trade
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Latest news
Mutti, the king of Italian tomatoes, announces sales growth of 18% in 2023 - 21/05/2024
- Sales of the European leader in canned tomatoes in 2023: €665 million
- - Percentage of sales generated outside Italy for the second year running: over 50%
- - Sales growth rate 18%
- - Industrial investments announced for 2024-2028: €100 million
- - Export share of sales: 53
- - Mutti's market share in Italy: 33.4
- - European countries where Mutti is market leader: France, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Netherlands
- - Sales growth in the United States: 40%
- - Leading position in the Australian canned tomato market.
Heinz adds a dash of vinegar to its Tomato ketchup - 16/05/2024
- - Condiments market in 2023: €1.18 billion.
- - Growth: +12%.
- - French supermarket ketchup sales: €120 million
Bénédicta aims to win over one in two French people with its cold sauces - 29/04/2024
**Growth in the cold sauces sector**: +14.6%, reaching 752 M€ (CAM P4/2024, HM SM).
- **Mild mayonnaise market share**: 9% of the market by value.
- - **Growth in sweet mayonnaises**: +21%.
- - **Manufacturing location**: Seclin, Nord, 150 employees, 30,000 tons/year of cold sauces.
- - **Seclin production breakdown**: 60% Benedicta sauces and mayonnaises for France, 40% Kraft Heinz mayonnaises for Europe.
- - **Site history**: Founded in 1907.
Barilla loses the second round of the cookie war - 02/04/2024
- Date of the Beginning of the Affair: June 2023 - Barilla asks the Court of Brescia to prohibit the sale of nine types of cookies by the Tedesco and Sapori Artigianali companies for excessive similarity to its own products.
- First Degree of Judgment: February 2024 - The Court partially grants Barilla's requests, banning the sale of certain products and the use of certain packaging due to their similarity to Mulino Bianco's products and packaging.
- Second Degree of Judgment: March 18, 2024 - The Court of Brescia dismisses Barilla's complaint and accepts the claims of the Tedesco and Sapori Artigianali companies.
- Arguments of the Reversal of the Judgment:
- Volgarization of Shape Marks: The shape of the cookies in question is now considered so common that it is no longer distinctive of a particular manufacturer.
- Packaging Disputed: Despite similarity, Tedesco's packaging is not considered likely to create undue confusion or associations with Barilla's due to the prevalence of common elements in the industry.
- Urgency of the Proceedings: The court rejects the urgency requested by Barilla for intervention, noting that Barilla was aware of the sale of the "similar" products as early as 2016.
- Implications for the Industry: This case highlights the importance of distinctiveness and originality in product and packaging design in an overcrowded market. It also shows the legal and business challenges in protecting these aspects in competitive environments.
Barilla launches "Accordions": six years of research for a brioche perfect for dunking - 26/03/2024
- Research and development period: 6 years, started in 2018.
- Production facility: Melfi, Basilicata.
- Investment: Over 30 million euros in the last 3 years in the Melfi plant, with investments dedicated to both sustainability and innovation, including the creation of production lines for Pancakes and Fisarmoniche.
- Sugar content: Accordions has -35% sugar compared to the average of best-selling snacks.
- Calorie content: 120 kcal/piece.
- Plant production capacity: Maximum capacity of 83,000 tons/year.
- Number of employees in Melfi: More than 350.
- Quality checks: More than 5,000 checks on finished products and 200 on raw materials per day.
- Environmental savings over the past 10 years: 40% water savings and 27% reduction in CO2 emissions.
- Total number of Mulino Bianco references: Over 130, which include cookies, snacks, and breads.
- Italians' preference for dunking: 6 out of 10 Italians like to dunk snacks or cookies for breakfast.
- Ingredients: Without coloring and preservative additives or palm oil. Contains 4% fiber.
- Plant size: 202,000 m^2.
Sauces & Créations to build new factory near Cambrai - 19/03/2024
- Sauces & Créations is a subsidiary of Breton food group Solina, specializing in sauces, marinades and soups
- Sauces & Créations has forecast 23% growth in 2023, following a 35% jump in 2022.
- 120 employees
- the company achieved sales of 50 million euros in 2023, 15% of which were international.
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the sauce market | France
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