When the last cans of Rosella soup were removed from Australian supermarkets in 2021, there was a public outcry. How could this symbol of continuity and good old Aussie values be allowed to disappear? With the help of Tetra Pak, Rosella devised a plan for the relaunch of its iconic products in a new package, fit for the 21st century.
The Rosella Preserving & Manufacturing Company was founded in Australia in 1895, and its tomato soup was famously served to soldiers in the Australian army during WWI. The brand became an integral part of daily life for many Australians growing up in the 20th century, but by 2020, its popularity had waned, and its products were no longer profitable.
A brand analysis showed that Rosella was perceived as ‘tired, out-dated and fast losing relevance with modern consumers.’ Reluctantly, the management team decided to delist Rosella’s last SKU, the 500-gramme tin of condensed tomato soup. The last cans were taken off the shelves, and the last chapter in Rosella’s story was, everyone thought, over.
The people speak up
As it turned out, nothing could have been further from the truth. The Australian people woke up to the absence of Rosella on the shelves and immediately started calling the company’s hot line to find out what had happened. Former Rosella brand manager Sharon Tan said, “Every day, we got about 200 – 300 calls from consumers wondering where our tomato soup had gone. Their powerful, emotional reaction left us in no doubt as to the value of a brand.”
In-depth consumer interviews
In order to understand more about what Rosella meant to Australian consumers, Sharon held in-depth interviews with around 25 people. She says, “Many fondly recalled cosy routines like Sunday evenings with a tin of tomato soup and a cheese toastie. Some of them were grandmothers or great grandmothers who were sad because they wouldn’t be able to make favourite dishes like their Bolognese sauce anymore. They feared their grandchildren would be disappointed. The main thing I learnt was that, for many consumers, Rosella conjured up powerful memories of togetherness.”
Sharon was blown away by the strong feelings Rosella evoked among her interviewees. “It was unlike anything I had ever encountered before,” she explained. “I was so moved, I found myself promising to call them back personally if and when we got Rosella tomato soup back on the shelves.” She then set to work on a comeback plan.
Rosella returns in a new package
Previously, all Rosella soups had been sold in cans, but Sharon made a conscious choice not to go with a can supplier for the relaunch, since experience had already shown it was impossible to make a profit on a low-price product like condensed tomato soup in cans.
At that time, cans and pouches were common, but no Australian brand was selling soup in cartons. ‘Maybe there was a way forward with cartons?’ she wondered. Sharon began to see a new packaging format as a potential game changer — a good way to differentiate Rosella’s products, while modernising its image and winning over younger, more environmentally conscious consumers.
In April 2021, Sharon made an appointment with Michael Grigg, Marketing & Innovation Manager at Tetra Pak in Melbourne, to discuss how to get Rosella back on the shelves, bearing in mind that it still held a big place in the heart of Australian consumers.
Meeting Tetra Pak Marketing Services
At the first meeting, Michael and the Tetra Pak Marketing Services team listened to Rosella’s brand challenge and discussed some initial ideas. Since the company was committed to trying a new type of packaging, Michael’s team proposed using Tetra Recart, the retortable carton package for shelf-stable food. He says, “The Tetra Recart system has the same functionality as a can, but with a cleaner image that appeals to young consumers. It seemed like the perfect way to bring Rosella into the modern era.”
But there’s more to relaunching an iconic brand than just changing the package. In what Sharon describes as an ‘impressive display of proactivity,’ Tetra Pak presented mock-ups of two different package designs, and a series of ideas for future line extensions, such as broth and pasta sauces. Sharon says, “I felt they really tried to understand our business, and to show me what the future could look like for Rosella.”
“I walked into that first meeting thinking of Tetra Pak as a potential partner….and I walked out convinced we had found a new partner.”
Sharon Tan, Former Rosella brand manager
Finding a co-packer
Rosella’s management gave the go-ahead to proceed with Tetra Pak, and the race against the clock began. The team had just three months to develop a marketing plan for new product development (NPD) to be presented to Australian retailers in July. The first thing they needed to do was to identify a co-packer that could produce Rosella condensed tomato soup using the secret ingredients that make the soup so special. Tetra Pak connected Rosella to a co-packer based in Italy and that was the start of the journey to land Rosella’s range of classic soups in Australia.
The confirmation of ranging came in November, and the team managed to get the original Condensed Tomato soup, plus a Creamy Pumpkin, a Potato and Carrot and a Tomato and Pepper flavoured soup – into one of the key retailers in Australia. The team was overjoyed.
Rosella re-launched with all four SKUs in March 2022. There was an overwhelming response from consumers, who were delighted to see that Rosella was back. They were especially excited to see its iconic condensed tomato soup on the shelves again. The recipe, and consequently the flavour, they confirmed, was exactly as consumers remembered it.
The launch campaign
During the relaunch, Tetra Pak’s support was pivotal in allowing the brand to enter the market with a strong presence. The Rosella brand was anchored in comfort, so the launch campaign was built around the concept of ‘Newstalgia’ – which accurately represented Rosella as an established legacy brand that’s still relevant in the modern world.
“Ironically, the disappearance of Rosella from the shelves reminded people how much they loved our brand. It created a buzz that really served us well when it came to the relaunch. In terms of getting the public’s attention, we couldn’t have planned it better!”
Sharon Tan, Former Rosella brand manager
Best-selling new SKU at Coles and Woolworths
Rosella’s Condensed Tomato Soup quickly became the top SKU in both Coles and Woolworths, and all the other SKUs were ranked in the top 20. Both retailers were pleased with the results and subsequently gave Rosella more opportunities for ranging other new product developments.
Revitalisation complete
Says Sharon, “We feared we had lost our traction in the ambient soup market…but it turned out we hadn’t. Sales have been healthy, and a younger generation is showing interest in our brand. It was great to see the level of engagement on social media when we announced, “Rosella’s back!”
