The global bestseller behind Knorr’s €5 billion success story

Knorr has become Unilever’s newest €5 billion brand, thanks to three years of remarkable growth.

And with 600 cubes sold globally every minute, bouillons are a key ingredient in the brand’s growing success.

Nearly two centuries after the pioneering launch of the brand’s first dried soups, Knorr bouillon powders, jellies and cubes can now be found in about 60% of the world’s home kitchens, as well as in the pantries of professional chefs.

So, what makes the bouillon a global bestseller? For Frank Haresnape, Global VP Knorr, it’s all about keeping pace with food trends and consumer needs and tastes.

A ‘glocal’ approach

Today, Knorr’s range of bouillon products is available in over 90 countries, while its professional range has been delivering consistent growth in over 65.

And as the leader of the world’s $13 billion bouillon market,^[a] Knorr prides itself on being a global brand with a powerful local touch.

“We’re a global brand, anchored in regional top dishes,” says Frank. “This deep local knowledge allows us to design products that meet the needs of people all around the world.”

Superior products that match consumer tastes

And this ‘glocal’ approach is delivering growth.

In Latin America, where Knorr’s innovation and marketing is focused on popular local dishes, like red rice, the brand grew double digit in the first half of this year.

Similarly in the Philippines, the superior taste of Knorr’s chicken bouillon has made it the optimal ingredient in chicken tinola – one of the country’s favourite dishes.

In areas where local micronutrient deficiencies are widespread, Knorr’s bouillons are given an extra nutritional boost by being fortified with specific vitamins and minerals.

In Ethiopia, for example, where one in two people suffer from zinc deficiency, Knorr relaunched stock cubes fortified with zinc. In addition, we launched a product fortified with vitamin A that is perfect for making shiro wat – a chickpea stew that is a national staple.

Innovations such as these used to take months or even years to get to market, but AI has sped up the process exponentially. “When the brand was creating the Knorr Zero Salt Cube, the use of digital modelling allowed scientists to analyse millions of flavour combinations in days rather than months,” explains Frank.

Convenience, consistency and excellence

At the heart of all these innovations is undoubtedly convenience. Home cooks all over the world are eager to achieve authentic flavours that would usually take hours to create, and Knorr delivers these in a matter of minutes.

This convenience has also proved to be very valuable in professional kitchens where, in 2023, Knorr’s Professional bouillon and seasonings category saw an underlying sales growth of 15%.

They may constitute a small portion of the overall dish cost for chefs, but it is the reliability of Knorr’s bouillons, both in terms of taste and performance, which make them such a favourite with food professionals – 55% of whom said that delivering consistent quality of ingredients, preparation time and authentic tastes were the top challenges they were facing today.^[b]

“Knorr bouillons provide chefs facing labour and inflation challenges with solutions that allow them to craft bold, signature flavours and ensure that every dish on the menu is a showcase of exceptional taste,” says Frank.

Keeping pace with changing tastes and trends

They also offer a convenient way to access hard-to-achieve flavour combinations and new culinary trends.

The brand’s Intense Flavours range, for example, offers an easy way to achieve complex flavourings such as Caramelized Umami or Deep Smoke. Created using authentic culinary processes like smoking, fermenting and roasting, these bouillons can be used across the whole cooking process from marinating to seasoning.

Knorr’s bouillons also have a starring role in Unilever Food Solutions’ Future Menu Trends report which for the last two years has showcased how they can be leveraged to create trending recipes.

Reframing bouillon for a new generation

Knorr bouillon’s promise of instant flavour is also playing a key role in keeping the brand relevant for a new generation.

“As a flavour powerhouse brand, it is our job to recruit a new generation of home cooks with cooking recipes that are delicious, nutritious and accessible,” says Frank.

“Knorr’s bouillons are the perfect flavour hack, allowing even novices to create quick and nutritious meals that echo the culinary trends being fuelled by the current, entertainment-driven food culture,” he adds, referring to recent research that shows that 67% of young consumers look for food inspiration on social media.^[c]

To this end, the brand launched its Taste Combo campaign in the US, leveraging the support of celebrities to highlight the benefits of delicious home cooking.

Last year, American rapper Cardi B’s nutritious and more affordable hack on the viral dish Marry Me Chicken won the brand 2.6 billion earned impressions and the highest dollar share in three years.

This year’s campaign looks set to do even better, with rapper and actor Ludacris’s healthy take on Lemon Pepper Chicken hitting 2.3 billion impressions and counting.

“From a cupboard essential to the unmissable flavour hack, we are reframing the image of bouillon for this new generation of consumers,” says Frank.

“This ability to stay true to its core values, while innovating to meet new consumer needs at a global and local level, has made Knorr a €5 billion brand and a key fixture in everyday dishes around the world.”