Ferm launched its ‘Come for soup!’ campaign in Kessel-Lo on Saturday, aiming to bring people together around the table and tackle loneliness.
The campaign was launched at Hal 5 on the eve of the clocks going back for winter time.
A survey of 3,150 people suggests soup remains highly popular in Flanders. Four in ten respondents said they eat soup every day, while another two in 10 eat it several times a week. Only 16% said they rarely or never eat soup.
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Most people still make soup from scratch. Three quarters of those surveyed said they use fresh vegetables, while ready-made soup has little appeal.
Taste and health are the main reasons people choose soup, cited by 77% and 76% of respondents respectively. Tomato soup with meatballs was the most popular variety, followed by chunky vegetable soup and pumpkin soup.
The survey also highlighted soup’s social role. Nearly seven in 10 respondents said they share homemade soup with their children or grandchildren.
Around 27% said they regularly bring soup to older relatives or neighbours, while 65% said they themselves receive soup from family members.
Eating together was also strongly linked to a sense of connection. Some 79% associated it with cosy social time, 64% with the chance to talk to one another, and 52% with making time for each other.
Through the campaign, Ferm is encouraging people to make, share and eat soup together.
“We do not just want to highlight soup as a healthy meal,” chair An Vrancken said. “Above all, we want to bring people together again, because things simply taste better together.”
The campaign responds to the wider social challenge of loneliness. According to health institute Sciensano, 21.5% of adults in Flanders felt severely lonely in 2025, while a further 33.3% experienced moderate loneliness.
Ferm is due to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Ons Kookboek in 2027.
