Mintel divides the market into five segments, with dry sauces and other wet sauces the largest with just over 26 percent market share apiece, followed by ethnic sauces, barbecue sauces and refrigerated/frozen sauces with a 19 percent, 18 percent, and 10 percent share, respectively.
The overall category, which grew by 20 percent between 2005 and 2010, did however face growing competition from convenience foods such as frozen entrées and pre-seasoned meats, said senior analyst David Browne.
As for claims on pack, ‘natural’ and ‘no additives and preservatives’ remain the most popular, he said.
“In fact, according to the Mintel Global New Products Database, the aforementioned purity claims along with kosher held the top three ranking claims for cooking sauces and marinades during 2006-10.”