One category, two worlds: Bonduelle sees growth opportunities for canned vegetables

Corn and legumes are the drivers of growth in the canned vegetables category. The potential is enormous, says Bonduelle, which uses shopper insights to remove barriers to purchase.

Traditional versus modern

The canned vegetable category is one of two speeds—or two worlds: on the one hand, traditional staples such as white beans, beans in tomato sauce, or red cabbage; on the other, more modern varieties such as corn and legumes from global cuisines: lentils, chickpeas, red beans, black beans, edamame…

“We see the divide between these two worlds in the shopper’s decision-making process. After all, the way we cook has changed. We’re preparing traditional dishes with potatoes, vegetables, and meat less often; we’re moving more and more toward global cuisine and also eating plant-based meals more frequently,” says Elise Van Damme, who has been with Bonduelle for ten years, seven of which as category development manager.

Enormous potential

She has observed these changing cooking and purchasing behaviors firsthand: “When we developed a segment vision for legumes in 2022, the conversation often started with the basics: what legumes are, and that they’re rich in protein. Today, I notice that interest and knowledge about them have grown significantly, among both consumers and retailers. Pulses are increasingly finding their place in the protein transition.”

This evolution has been underway for some time, but it has certainly accelerated in recent years. At the same time, we are still far from reaching the end of this growth, says Van Damme: “Four out of ten Belgian households buy legumes. So there’s still enormous growth potential. When we ask consumers why they don’t yet buy corn and legumes, the main barriers turn out to be that they simply don’t think about it or don’t know how to incorporate them into their meals. So awareness and inspiration are the key drivers.”

New brand identity

Bonduelle aims to be a driving force in the category by continuing to innovate and inspire. The latter starts with recipes: they are the most important entry point for purchasing legumes. In addition, the company has high hopes for the new visual brand identity that has been rolling out in stores since July, with the color green taking center stage. “That color has always been part of our logo and is also linked to nature, vegetables, sustainability—in short, everything we stand for at Bonduelle.” This creates a strong green block on the shelf that helps shoppers navigate. The brand is also launching a campaign with the slogan “Let the good win.”

How does Bonduelle translate shopper insights into the canned goods aisle? Elise Van Damme will discuss this further at the Category Management Congress organized by LD&Co and RetailDetail, during RetailDetail Night on November 19 in Brussels. Speakers from Mars, YouGov, GS1, and Promology will also highlight aspects of category management. You can reserve tickets using the button below.