New Covent Garden

What New Covent Garden does

The New Covent Garden Soup Company Limited is a UK-based chilled soup producer founded around 1990, operating as the country's leading fresh soup brand with a portfolio of 13 soup varieties sold primarily in 560g cartons, plus 1kg family-size packs for its two best-selling lines (Classic Chicken and Creamy Tomato). Its underlying technology is straightforward chilled-soup production using classic recipes with store-cupboard ingredients, packaged in an iconic, widely-recycled carton format used since 1988 that doubles as a category signpost in supermarket chiller cabinets. All SKUs are positioned at under 200 calories per portion and several qualify as 1-of-5-a-day or protein sources, addressing health-conscious UK consumers seeking convenient meal solutions.

The company is privately held and operates as part of The Hain Daniels Group, a diversified food conglomerate that owns the brand's intellectual property. Its operating entity, Daniels Chilled Foods Limited, is registered in England and Wales with its registered office in Leeds. The business runs a sales-led, retail-anchored go-to-market: products are sold through all major UK grocery chains — Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado, Iceland and Co-op — both in-store and online, with international distribution handled exclusively through specialist distributor Bergams. A small direct-to-consumer layer (email newsletter, social media, recipe-led content) sits on top of the retailer channel for shopper engagement, but the core revenue mechanics are straightforward wholesale sales of chilled soup SKUs at retailer-determined pricing.

Name

New Covent Garden

Legal name

The New Covent Garden Soup Company Limited

Website

https://newcoventgardensoup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

New Covent Garden is a UK-based chilled soup producer founded in 1990 and part of The Hain Daniels Group, selling 13 soup SKUs under an iconic carton brand through all major UK grocers and internationally via distributor Bergams, targeting health-conscious consumers seeking convenient, portion-controlled meals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chilled Soup / Packaged Food

NAICS

Mayonnaise, Dressing, and Other Prepared Sauce Manufacturing (311941)

SIC

Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Prepared soups, stews & chili manufacturing (AFAKAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Soup, Chili & Comfort Foods (Self-Serve or Packaged) (CRAHAKAF)

Keywords

• Chilled soup production
• Fresh packaged food
• Retail grocery brand
• Ready-to-eat soups
• Carton-packed food

Headquarters

HQ city

Peterborough

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fresh/Chilled Soup Sales: Sale of chilled soup products through retail grocery channels. Products include 560g standard cartons and 1kg family-size options across 12 soup varieties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

New Covent Garden produces and sells a range of chilled, ready-to-heat fresh soups packaged in distinctive 560g and 1kg cartons, made with classic recipes and store cupboard ingredients. The portfolio spans approximately 13 varieties (including Carrot & Coriander, Classic Chicken, Creamy Tomato, Leek & Potato, Lentil & Smoked Bacon, Mushroom, Chicken & Sweetcorn, Vegetable, Tomato & Basil, Spiced Butternut, and Pumpkin Spice), each under 200 calories per portion.

Product overview

New Covent Garden is the UK's leading fresh soup brand offering a range of classic, simple soups packaged in distinctive cartons. The product portfolio consists of 13 soup varieties available primarily in 560g packs (2 servings), with two varieties (Classic Chicken and Creamy Tomato) also offered in 1kg family-sized packs. All soups are under 200 calories per portion and include options for various dietary requirements such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free varieties. The range spans classic flavors like Carrot & Coriander (the original that pioneered the chilled soup market), Chicken & Sweetcorn, Vegetable, and seasonal offerings like Pumpkin Spice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Classic Chicken (560g) Classic Chicken soup made with tender chicken, potato, onion, crushed garlic and single cream, sold in 560g cartons (2 servings of 280g, 143 kcal per serving). Targets consumers seeking a hearty, protein-rich ready meal.
• Classic Chicken (1kg Family Size) Family-size 1kg carton of Classic Chicken soup, 4 servings of 250g with 128 kcal per serving, marketed as a source of protein. Targets families and larger households.
• Creamy Tomato (560g) Creamy tomato soup made with 45% tomato content and double cream, vegetarian-friendly and counts as 1 of 5 a day; 560g pack, 144 kcal per serving. Targets vegetarian consumers seeking convenient healthy meals.
• Creamy Tomato (1kg Family Size) Family-size 1kg carton of Creamy Tomato soup with 45% tomato content, providing 1 of 5 a day and 128 kcal per serving across 4 portions of 250g. Targets families.
• Carrot & Coriander The original chilled soup that pioneered the category, made with 46% naturally sweet carrots, coriander and nutmeg; 96 kcal per serving and high in Vitamin A. Targets health-conscious consumers.
• Leek & Potato Leek and potato soup finished with single cream; made with 28% potato and 19% leek, 149 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking traditional, comforting soup flavours.
• Lentil & Smoked Bacon Hearty soup with red and green lentils, smoked bacon, and tomatoes seasoned with thyme; 183 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking a filling, high-protein option.
• Mushroom Mushroom soup made with 31% mushrooms, brown rice and parsley; 100 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking low-calorie, classic soup options.
• Chicken & Sweetcorn Chicken and sweetcorn soup with garlic and parsley; low fat, 1 of 5 a day, 184 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking low-fat, ready meals.
• Vegetable Wholesome vegetable soup of carrot, swede, parsnip and turnip with single cream and parsley; 1 of 5 a day, 90 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking low-calorie, multi-veg options.
• Tomato & Basil Mediterranean-style soup with 47% sun-ripened tomatoes and aromatic basil; vegan-friendly, 101 kcal per serving. Targets vegan consumers.
• Spiced Butternut Spiced butternut squash soup with carrots, cumin, chillies and honey; 86 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking warming, low-calorie flavours.
• Pumpkin Spice Autumn seasonal soup with pumpkin, carrot, butternut squash, nutmeg, cinnamon and coriander; 115 kcal per serving. Targets consumers seeking seasonal limited-edition flavours.

Quantifiable outcome

• All soups under 200 calories per serving
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• BergamsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBergams is the international distributor for New Covent Garden Soup products for customers outside the UK. Export operations are managed through this distributor partnership.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baxters Food Group: Baxters is a UK-based branded soup and food manufacturer with strong UK grocery distribution. It is the closest direct peer to New Covent Garden in chilled and ambient soup, with overlapping retailer customers and similar product positioning.
• Glorious! Soup Company: Glorious! is a UK branded soup range sold primarily through UK premium grocery (notably Marks & Spencer), directly comparable to New Covent Garden as a UK chilled soup brand competing for similar shopper occasions.

Broad incumbents

• Campbell Soup Company: Campbell's is a global soup incumbent with established UK distribution. It competes with New Covent Garden in the soup category but at a much larger scale and primarily with ambient, canned formats.
• Premier Foods (Batchelors): Batchelors, part of Premier Foods, is a long-standing UK soup brand with strong grocery distribution across ambient formats. It overlaps with New Covent Garden at the same UK retailers but competes mainly in shelf-stable rather than chilled soup.
• Knorr (Unilever): Knorr is Unilever's ambient soup and stock brand, widely stocked in UK grocery. It overlaps with New Covent Garden on retailer shelves and shopper meal occasions, though it is part of a much larger Unilever food portfolio.
• Kraft Heinz (Heinz Soup): Heinz is one of the largest global soup brands, sold across UK grocery with broad ambient and canned offerings. It is a broader incumbent than New Covent Garden but competes directly in the soup fixture of every UK supermarket listed as an NCG customer.

Emerging players

• Tideford Organics: Tideford Organics is an emerging UK organic soup brand sold through premium and health-focused grocery channels. It overlaps with New Covent Garden in chilled soup occasions but competes primarily on organic and plant-based positioning.
• Squeaky Bean (Quorn / Monde Nissin): Squeaky Bean is a UK plant-based prepared food brand with a soup range sold through major UK grocers. It is an emerging player overlapping with New Covent Garden's vegetarian and vegan soup SKUs as plant-based demand grows.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newcoventgarden
• Facebookfacebook.com/NCGSoup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-new-covent-garden-food-company-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about New Covent Garden