Innovation that makes life easier – ‘world food made easy’
“Our goal is to grow the Asian food category and make the trend simple for consumers. From the beginning, it’s been part of Paulig's DNA to spot exciting food trends and flavours from around the world, simplify them, and make them accessible to everyone,” says Eric Wollberg, Marketing Activation Manager at Paulig.
When the Santa Maria Asian Buns were launched in 2023, the Asian cuisine was a strong food trend, and Bao Buns in particular had captured consumers’ interest.
“We drew inspiration from street food restaurants and saw strong demand from consumers who wanted to recreate Bao Buns at home. But many didn’t know how to prepare them or what ingredients to use. By offering ready-made buns along with seasoning mixes and sauces, we created a complete and easy-to-use concept,” says Eric Wollberg.
Social fuel - just like tacos
Like the Tex Mex category – which Santa Maria successfully introduced and established in Sweden – the Asian Buns concept was designed with the social side of dining in mind.
“Part of the what make tacos so popular is that the meal is easy to personalize and share. Everyone can create their own dish with bread as the base, different vegetables, meat, chicken or vegetarian options, and a variety of toppings,” says Eric Wollberg.
Collaboration with customers is key
For Paulig, collaboration with the grocery trade is a key factor for continued success.
“We simplify everyday cooking and bring consumers new, exciting meal solutions – which is also valuable for retailers. Santa Maria Asian Steamed Buns not only drive the Asian category, but also fresh produce, chicken and other adjacent categories,” says Eric Wollberg.
About Product of the Year in grocery – international flavours in focus
The Product of the Year award in FMCG is presented by Svensk Dagligvaruhandel to the product that has achieved a particularly successful launch, contributed to the development of its category, and met a new consumer need. This year’s finalists all showcase strong international influences, helping to inspire and renew the selection in Swedish grocery stores.
