It's All About the Sauce

Welcome to PLBuyer’s inaugural Merchandising Report, which each month will bring you a snapshot of private label ads and key facts for a particular category or product segment.
This issue looks at what’s happening in the broad area of sauces.
See the sauces Albertson’s, Family Fare, Food Lion, Shaw’s and Winn-Dixie were featuring in their ad circulars during January.
Also, scan the key facts on the cooking sauces sub-category.
These monthly reports are compiled with data supplied by Chicago-based research firm Market Track.

FEATURED SAUCES
BOSTON, MASS.
Shaw’s was featuring Wild Harvest pasta sauce for $1.99 during early January.

ATHENS, GA.
Food Lion was featuring its My Essentials and Food Lion salsa for $1.89 in early January.

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Family Fare was offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on its Spartan steak sauce in mid-January.

DENVER, COLO.
Albertsons was advertising its private label salsa and picante sauce for $1 a jar in early January.

SIDEBAR:
SAUCE FACTS

U.S. MARKET SIZE: $3.7 billion in 2010

GROWTH PROSPECTS: 19% growth projected, 2011 through 2015 for cooking sauces and marinades.

WHERE IT SELLS: Supermarkets hold 67.9% market share in 2010.

WHAT SELLS: Private labels hold 11% of the market, putting it second behind McCormick & Co. (15 percent). Other major branded players - Kraft Foods (10.4%), H.J. Heinz (8.2%)