Soup and side dishes

rice; ethnic; spanish * "Soup wars" reaped mixed results. * Sodium content is important. * Bold flavors drive rice segment. * Brand names still have clout in side dish segment.This time last year showed good growth in many of the soup and side dish markets, as the recession was helping boost sales of categories that are seen as basic staples and everyday simple foods. [...]the recession could only help these markets so far, and the combined impact of consumers' needs for frugality, self-inflicted market damage by soup manufacturers and creeping private label have dampened sales figures. The ads, which called out suspect ingredients in each competitor's soups, appears to have succeeded mainly at reminding consumers, already wary of added sodium in processed foods, that the soup aisle should be approached with caution. While private label growth for side dishes has been slightly higher (and for soup, slightly lower than total FDMx sales growth in the past year), the difference is not significant.