CAMBRIDGE, MA--(Marketwire - November 2, 2010) - Just in time for soup season, New England Country Soup, a manufacturer of all natural, ready-to-serve soups, launches the Soup Challenge™, a fun cooking competition that gives New Englanders the opportunity to enter their homemade soup recipes in a head-to-head taste and nutrition test against New England Country Soup flavors.
The Soup Challenge™ was created to demonstrate to consumers that New England Country Soup's eight New England-inspired recipes are as delicious and nutritious as their own homemade recipes and great alternatives when consumers simply don't have the time to prepare soup at home.
From now through January 9, 2011, New Englanders can enter the Soup Challenge™ at www.soupchallenge.com in a few easy steps:
1. Choose the New England Country Soup recipe they would like to challenge; recipes include Chicken Corn Chowder, Yankee White Bean, New England Clam Chowder, Chicken Pomodoro, Lentil, Nana's Chicken Soup, Caribbean Black Bean and Sweet Chicken Curry
2. Select to compete in either the Boston, Providence or Hartford Soup Challenge™ semi-finals
3. Enter recipe details including ingredients, step-by-step instructions and number of servings
Five winning recipes will be chosen per city, three by popular vote and two by New England Country Soup. Winners will get the chance to prepare their recipes for a panel of local, accomplished "foodies" such as media personalities and nutritionists on the following dates:
- Providence: January 29, 2011
- Hartford: February 5, 2011
- Boston: February 12, 2011
The judges will score each recipe on taste, and each recipe will receive a nutritional analysis from an independent group of food scientists. Taste and nutrition scores will be combined and each recipe will receive an overall score comparing its taste and nutritional profile to that of its New England Country Soup competitor.
One winner from each city will compete in the ultimate Soup Challenge™ in Boston on March 5, 2011, for bragging rights and a New England weekend getaway for two to Martha's Vineyard.
"For years, our customers have told us that our soups are as delicious as their homemade, and now we are ready to put that claim to the test," said M. Peter Thomson, president of New England Country Foods LLC. "Take on our Chicken Corn Chowder, go head-to-head against our Caribbean Black Bean, or challenge our classic New England Clam Chowder. This is your chance to not only show off your culinary skills, but have some fun and win a great prize."
Interested consumers can visit the Soup Challenge™ community at www.soupchallenge.com to learn more about official rules and entry information, share their recipes and stories behind their soups, and read culinary tips and "foodie fodder" on the Soup Challenge™ blog. For more information about New England Country Soup, please visit www.newenglandcountrysoup.com.
About New England Country Soup
New England Country Soup is a brand of all natural, ready-to-serve soups that are high in flavor and low in sodium from New England Country Foods LLC based in Cambridge, MA and Manchester, VT. The company is committed to good, simple, safe and healthy food. In addition to great tasting soup, New England Country Soup provides its consumers with an Ingredient Tracker™ on its website so they can see where each ingredient for each pouch is sourced. To reduce energy and waste, each soup is packaged in a light-weight, BPA-free microwavable pouch. Through its Eat Well, Do Good™ program, the company aims to make a positive impact through its work with several non-profit organizations. New England Country Soup is sold in Stop & Shop, Market Basket, Big Y, Hannaford, Roche Brothers, Shaw's, ShopRite, Dave's, Donelan's, Trucchi's and other fine New England retailers. For more information, visit www.newenglandcountrysoup.com.
Contact Information:
Sara Hartman
New England Country Foods
617-682-3653
sarah@necountryfoods.com
Sarah Ellis
Matter Communications
978-499-9250 x222
necs@matternow.com