A CONDIMENT COUP
Condiment packaging has evolved to give today’s consumer an easy, convenient way to adorn their brats, burgers, and sandwiches. Grocery shelves are commonly stocked with squeezable plastic bottles of catsup, mustard, and BBQ sauce, many of which are turned on their caps to keep product ready for rapid dispensing.
But what about that beloved fermented condiment, sauerkraut? Typically, kraut comes in cumbersome bags, cans, and glass jars. When you find it at a baseball game or other event, it’s commonly out in the open in a stagnant pan with flies buzzing around it. Kraut really needed to catch up with the convenient condiment revolution.
The issue has always been with the consistency of sauerkraut.
A small company in Wisconsin tackled this problem, creating a patent-pending process for squeezing sauerkraut through a cap. When paired with the perfect product consistency, a new, squeezable sauerkraut product was born.
SERIOUS ABOUT KRAUT
Despite launching a unique and innovative product, the first iteration of the brand, originally named Sconnie Foods, had limited distribution. PCS Gourmet Foods bought the company, offering an infusion of resources to give the brand new life and a broader reach.
Upstart Food Brands was brought in to completely re-envision the squeezable sauerkraut brand. We led a strategic branding initiative that resulted in a new brand name, identity, tag line, story, and packaging design.
Sauer Frau was born!
We built the brand around a quirky German woman, the Sauer Frau, who is very serious about sauerkraut. With an attention-grabbing, mean-looking illustration as the centerpiece of the logo, the brand was prepared to make a bold re-entry into the condiment market.
The Sauer Frau has no time for the eccentric or offbeat—doesn’t enjoy theater, novels, art, or other human beings. Suggest an idea to her, and she will disapprove: “I don’t go for that.” But mention sauerkraut and she starts talking about the old country. Known for her authentic German kraut, fermented to perfection with only the very best fresh, non-GMO ingredients, the Sauer Frau is serious about kraut. And while squeezable is definitely not a word one would associate with the Frau, her squeezable kraut—the first of its kind—most certainly is.
RETAIL SUPPORT & FOODSERVICE EXTENSION
To support the launch of Sauer Frau, we’re developing a floor display, shelf boxes, two-pack boxes for club stores, POS materials, and other branded pieces to bring attention to a new and unfamiliar product and brand.
We’re also creating foodservice packages (a large squeezable foodservice bottle, and a gallon jug with a proprietary new pump), as opportunities to sell Sauer Frau into stadiums and other venues are giving the company additional revenue streams.
RESULTS
First introduced at the 2018 Winter Fancy Food Show, Sauer Frau gained tremendous interest (and pre-orders) from a variety of retailers.
As of June, 2018, the product is storming store shelves across the country. All three varieties – Classic, Craft Beer Mustard, and Bavarian with Caraway Seeds – are in hundreds of stores, and are available online at sauerfrau.com.
As Sauer Frau grows and evolves, you’ll start seeing the brand in foodservice venues like stadiums, colleges, and amphitheaters.
Just bought some tonight and tried it with my homemade Reuben good stuff and I make my own Kraut so I’m kind of a connoisseur
How long will it last in the fridge once opened?
We don’t make the product – we just helped them develop the brand – but I think that it would last in the fridge for at least 6 months. You can check out https://sauerfrau.com for more info on the products, and to contact the maker directly.