Natural Grocers has rolled out six new private label flavors of organic, plant-based soup, the specialty grocery chain announced Thursday. All of the varieties are gluten- and dairy-free and packed in 14-ounce shelf-stable pouches.
The new soups, which cost $4.49, come in butternut squash, creamy tomato, sauerkraut, sweet corn, three lentil and vegan chili bean flavors. The soups do not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives, the company said.
The retailer is introducing the heat-and-serve soups as it looks to private label expansion as a key pillar of its growth strategy. Natural Grocers has focused on its portfolio of house-branded goods in recent quarters by adding products across a range of categories and boosting the proportion of its sales stemming from items carrying its name.
Private label products represented 8.4% of the Natural Grocers’ sales during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024, up from 7.8% during the same period a year earlier, Kemper Isely, the company’s co-president, said during an earnings call in November. The company’s house brand now includes more than 800 products.
The company added 19 private label items during its latest quarter, including limited edition coffee flavors, new frozen pizza varieties and additional household products, Isely said. Natural Grocers added 80 private label products during 2024, Isely added.
In 2023, Natural Grocers brought out private label products including mustard and canned seafood.
