Dolmio cooking sauces add new Taste of Sicily recipe

The Tastes of Italy range now accounts for £1.5m values sales in the growing ambient Italian cooking sauce sector and meets the increased interest in the premium sauce category.

Available from July, the new Taste of Sicily recipe will increase the variety offered to consumers from the Tastes of Italy range, with a classic Italian recipe of sun-ripened tomatoes, basil and roasted garlic.

The Taste of Sicily launch forms part of a £2million marketing campaign to support the Tastes of Italy range, including TV and press advertising throughout 2008 using the eponymous Mama and Papa Dolmio puppets and a major PR event hosted by celebrity Italian chef, Giancarlo Caldesi.

The premium pour over pasta sauces, which are inspired by different regions of Italy, have successfully attracted new consumers to the Italian Wet Cooking Sauce category with 14% of consumers new to the sector.

It has also driven category growth, with 33% of consumers trading up from original Bolognese users. The premium recipes are aimed at adults, rather than family meal occasions and each 350g jar is designed to reflect that by serving two people.

Wendy Wing, customer marketing manager, Mars Food, comments: “The ‘Tastes of Italy’ range is about delivering more adventurous tastes through premium ingredients. We’re not moving away from our loyal audience but are recognising that a couple of times a week, they want something a little more special. The Tastes of Italy sauces perfectly compliment our core range of family focused mealtime pleasers.”

With an RRP of £1.55, the ‘Tastes of Italy’ range now comprises:

• NEW Taste of Sicily – Sun Ripened Tomatoes, Basil and Roasted Garlic

• Taste of Sorrento - Cherry Tomatoes, Basil & Parmesan

• Taste of Calabria - Sun Ripened Tomatoes, Pepperoni, Garlic & Chilli

• Taste of Rome - Sun Ripened tomatoes, fresh cream & ricotta cheese

• Taste of Tuscany - Sun Ripened Tomatoes, parsley & Chianti red wine