Why Rao’s Soup Misses the Mark on This Packaging Design.

Rao’s is a pasta sauce powerhouse, but their soup packaging tells a different story.

Description

Brand extension can be a powerful growth strategy, but only if it’s executed with clarity. In this case, the transition from pasta sauce into soup creates confusion rather than differentiation.

The biggest issue is visual overlap. Using the same jar, color palette, and overall look as the pasta sauce line makes it difficult to immediately recognize this as soup. While that familiarity may help with brand recognition, it blurs product boundaries, especially in real-life usage moments like grabbing something from the pantry.

Structure plays a critical role here. A clear glass jar works well for pasta sauce, where the product typically looks smooth and appetizing. But with soups, especially chunkier varieties, the same transparency can work against appetite appeal. Visible separation, texture, and settling can make the product look less appealing, even if the quality is high.

This is where strong soup packaging design and CPG packaging strategy come into play. Structure should reinforce both the category and the consumption experience. If it creates confusion or reduces the appeal of the product, it’s working against the sale.

Sometimes differentiation isn’t about standing out; it’s about being understood instantly.

Video Transcript

00:00:00 Look at that. That does not look
00:00:01 appetizing.
00:00:05 Hey guys, this is shopping with
00:00:06 Christie. Today I'm at King Soopers,
00:00:08 once again, that's Kroger in Colorado.
00:00:10 And I want to talk to you today about
00:00:12 brain extension and also structure
00:00:14 selection. I am taking a look at soups.
00:00:17 When I was shopping this set, I happen
00:00:19 to notice this brand right here, a brand
00:00:21 that's been very on trend and a high
00:00:23 growth brand, which is Rao's. This is
00:00:26 the soup set here. We've kind of got
00:00:28 Campbell's, chunky,
00:00:31 Progresso, and then sort of a random
00:00:32 assortment here. This is where Rao's is
00:00:34 landing up. And you know, Rao's is so
00:00:38 popular right now in the pasta set. The
00:00:41 first one I saw, my eyes went to cuz of
00:00:43 the red, was tomato basil. And at first
00:00:45 I honestly thought that this was just
00:00:48 like a pizza sauce, like it wasn't a
00:00:50 soup. It looks so similar to their pasta
00:00:53 sauce line. Now, mind you, I might buy
00:00:55 this knowing it's soup because it's in
00:00:57 the soup set. However, when I get home
00:00:59 and it's in my pantry, if let's say
00:01:02 another family member was making pasta,
00:01:04 I could absolutely imagine my
00:01:06 11-year-old grabbing this thinking it's
00:01:08 pasta sauce, right? And doing that. Now,
00:01:10 mind you, it does say here slow simmered
00:01:13 soup, but that is so tiny. And tomato
00:01:16 basil is a standard pasta sauce flavor,
00:01:19 so that would be an issue in my house.
00:01:21 I'd be very worried about that. I wish
00:01:22 they had made this look a little bit
00:01:24 different. One of the ways they could
00:01:25 have made it look a little different is
00:01:27 by choosing a different structure. I
00:01:29 will point out they're the only brand
00:01:31 here in this set that has a clear glass
00:01:35 jar for their soups. Now, I know that
00:01:38 makes sense in the world of pasta sauce
00:01:39 cuz most pasta sauce looks pretty good,
00:01:41 but we got some issues here. I do think
00:01:43 it looks good when something's fully
00:01:44 blended like a butternut squash or
00:01:46 organic tomato basil, but you start to
00:01:48 get kind of let's call it chunks. Here's
00:01:51 Tuscan style beef. I don't think most
00:01:53 Americans want to see like chunks of
00:01:56 beef floating. Look at that.
00:01:59 >> [sighs]
00:02:00 [gasps]
00:02:00 >> Looks almost gelatinous. Or I would
00:02:02 argue almost even worse, this chicken
00:02:04 orzo soup. Look at that. That does not
00:02:07 look appetizing. That's okay with the
00:02:09 vegetables, but seeing that sort of
00:02:10 orzo, I wouldn't say it's
00:02:12 disintegrating, but it's been sitting
00:02:14 there in this liquid. Now, of course,
00:02:15 conceptually, you know that's what all
00:02:17 of these look like, too, but I don't
00:02:18 think consumers deeply think about that,
00:02:20 right? They see an image, let's say,
00:02:23 like this, and it looks delicious. So,
00:02:25 if I were Rao's, I would have maybe gone
00:02:27 for a more innovative authentic jar, but
00:02:29 maybe not clear like that. I think
00:02:31 there's other structures I would have
00:02:33 considered before doing that if I were
00:02:35 them. Number one, for confusion with
00:02:37 their pasta sauce items, not only at
00:02:39 store, but even more so at home in the
00:02:41 pantry. And then number two, appetite
00:02:43 appeal. I don't think your average
00:02:45 consumer's going to notice that
00:02:46 necessarily. That's something that
00:02:48 really only weirdos like me would
00:02:49 notice, but still, I'm watching you,
00:02:51 Rao's. Okay, bye.

Christy Lebor Partner & Head of Brand Development, SmashBrand

48 Articles

Christy Lebor is a Partner and Head of Brand Development at SmashBrand, a premier brand development agency championing the FMCG space. With two decades of Fortune 500 CPG experience, Christy harnesses her background from industry titans to infuse brands with a growth trajectory that transitions them from category disruptors to legacy brands.

Her portfolio includes:

Brand management roles at global giants: Kraft, PepsiCo, and Unilever.
Launching pivotal products: Axe Body Wash in the US and the original Dove Campaign for Real Beauty at Unilever.
Steering innovative product lines at PepsiCo: Gatorade chews, protein bars, Mio Fit, and Amino Energy.
Pioneering breakfast innovations at KraftHeinz: Just Crack an Egg
Leading the branded business segment and global innovation at JBS, the world's largest meat company in the world.

Prior to her tenure at SmashBrand, Christy's track record spans various senior management and development roles. Each role has honed her expertise in the intricacies of FMCG, enabling her to cultivate category advantages for brands. From SKU rationalization to directing pivotal innovation stage gates, Christy's acute expertise in FMCG has consistently placed her at the forefront of the industry. Her ability to make incisive, strategically sound decisions has been key in propelling brands to market leadership.

Her philosophy pivots on the principle that timely, relevant data, integrated with brand strategy, is the linchpin for brands aspiring to scale and establish market dominance. At SmashBrand, Christy intricately weaves this philosophy, ensuring brands are not just strategically poised but holistically developed.

Educationally, Christy is equipped with a BBA from The University of Michigan Business School, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and additional prowess in Private Equity and Venture Capital from Harvard Business School.

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