Food for Thought: Love of Pasta Dishes Heats Up Pasta Sauce Market
Americans love pasta dishes. A recent survey by the National Pasta Association (NPA) found that 73% of respondents said they ate pasta at least once a week or more. According to the NPA, the average American consumes approximately 20 pounds of pasta annually. That adds up to nearly 6 billion pounds of pasta consumed in the U.S. each year.
Easy to make, great tasting and affordable, pasta dishes are a go-to meal with pasta and pasta sauces a staple in nearly every pantry. It’s no surprise that the popularity of these dishes continues to heat up.
According to a Global Market Insights (GMI) report, the pasta sauce market was valued at $1.95 billion in 2023 and is projected to expand at an 8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2024 to 2032. The report noted that one of the most significant drivers of the demand for pasta sauce is “the enduring appeal of pasta dishes as a versatile and convenient meal option.”
Source: Global Market Insights
Consumers love the time-savings and flavor-enhancing benefits of pasta sauce. They also love the wide range of sauces available on store shelves, from marinara to roasted garlic to tomato basil to mushroom and many more. Pairing their favorite sauce with their favorite type of pasta (there are reportedly 600 different types of pasta in various shapes and sizes) results in a simple yet delicious meal.
We think one of the best explanations for the growth of the pasta sauce market is that consuming pasta makes people happy. The Behavior and Brain Lab at Italy’s Free University of Languages and Communication IULM conducted a study to understand how and why people are happy when they eat a plate of pasta. Researchers found that eating pasta causes a positive emotional-cognitive state – similar to the happiness experienced when doing favorite activities such as listening to music or watching sports.
When it comes to pasta sauce (and any other jarred product), what makes consumers most happy is being able to open the jar without a struggle. They want an easy-to-open jar that allows them to save time in the process of preparing their favorite meals.
The EEASY Lid, the first jar lid innovation in nearly eight decades, is a time-saver that allows customers to open a vacuum-sealed jar by simply pressing a button on the lid. This reduces the force required to twist off the lid by up to 50%. That makes consumers happy, and when consumers are happy, they become repeat purchasers.
Today, consumers are happy to see the EEASY Lid topping some of their favorite pasta sauces and other jarred products available in hundreds of grocery stores across the U.S. and Germany.
Contact us today to learn more about how your brand can make consumers happy and heat up sales with the EEASY Lid.