Freja enters ambient soup category with bone broth-based range

The brand said the range is designed to combine the convenience of ambient soup with a focus on recognisable, whole-food ingredients. The ready-to-eat range comprises three varieties: Classic Chicken & Vegetable, Pea, Leek & Lemon and Tomato & Red Pepper. The 560g pouches have an RRP of £4.95.

The Instant Bone Broth Soup range, also priced at £4.95, includes Thai Chicken, Classic Tomato, and Spinach & Leek. The products are sold in packs of three 30g sachets.

According to Freja, both ranges use bone broth as their base and contain naturally occurring collagen and protein. The company said it has avoided artificial thickeners, emulsifiers and flavourings, instead using vegetables and other natural ingredients to build flavour and texture.

Freja said the launch is intended to bring new product development to an ambient soup category that it believes has remained relatively unchanged compared with chilled soup. The company is positioning the products around growing consumer interest in ingredient transparency and less processed food, while retaining the convenience associated with cupboard-stable soup.

The ready-to-eat pouches are designed for lunch and light-meal occasions, while the instant products target at-home, workplace and on-the-go consumption. Jessica Leather, co-founder of Freja, said: “Soup feels like such a natural category for Freja to move into because broth has always been the starting point for really good soup. When we looked at the ambient soup category, it felt like there had been very little real innovation for years.

At the same time, people are increasingly looking at ingredient lists and asking whether convenience really needs to come with lots of additives and highly processed ingredients.” Founded in 2020 by husband-and-wife team Ed Armitage and Jessica Leather, Freja initially focused on ready-to-use bone broth cartons.

Its portfolio has since expanded to include Instant Bone Broth, Bone Broth Powder and Collagen Protein Blends. The products will roll out across selected major UK grocers and wholesalers throughout September and October, alongside direct-to-consumer sales through Freja’s website and Amazon.

The launch is being supported by a campaign dubbed “Souptember”, with Freja aiming to use the expansion to increase its presence beyond the specialist bone broth category.