The result, he says, is a place of honor in the growing better-for-you segment of the market. “As fast-casuals find success with that,” McGinnis says, “other chains are trying to bring in products that will attract the same kinds of customers.”

Kettle Cuisine has also been experiencing a high demand for such ethnic-based soups as chicken fajita with fire-roasted vegetables and Thai chicken soup with red curry. “It’s remarkable how these new soups have really skyrocketed up the list in terms of sales,” McGinnis says. “One of our best sellers is gazpacho, and another is strawberry soup with champagne and lime. Soon we will be launching a new one, chipotle mango.”

McGinnis says that the popular chilled soups featuring fruit would not have been as popular five years ago.

“In the last couple of years, that’s changed,” McGinnis says. “The idea of chilled soups has become more familiar to consumers, and we’ve really found it to be a great category for us.”

He attributes the change, in part, to the growing popularity of the Food Network and the variety of foods it introduces to viewers.

That certainly seemed to describe much of the lunchtime crowd on a recent weekday at the Souplantation in Lakewood, California.

“I love the flavors, and the textures are really good,” says LeRoy Casey, 68, who admits to being a Food Network aficionado who loves cooking at home.

Among Casey’s favorites are corn chowder, albondigas, and tortilla soup.

“I’m using more and more spices in my soups at home,” Casey says. “I seek that out at restaurants. I look for flavor ambiences. I’ll try anything once, and if I like I’ll come back for more. That’s why I’m here today.”

Sarah Pak, 21, says she comes for her health. “It’s a better alternative than a hamburger and fries; it makes me feel more fulfilled.” Pak is not alone. According to the National Restaurant Association, 76 percent of adults are trying to eat healthier in restaurants. That number is up from 71 percent in 2006.

None of the perks of soup, of course, are new to Druker of New England Soup Factory, who has been making soups since she was 17. “I think what I try to do is take a concept and extend it,” Druker says.

These days that means combing Boston’s Asian, Latin, and Middle Eastern markets for exotic ethnic flavors. “I want my soups to taste authentic,” she says. “When I go to a Chinese market, I buy wood ear mushrooms and lily buds, an oriental sea vegetable. I love chickpeas and tahini. I use Mexican white corn and sometimes hit things with scotch bonnet pepper.”

The result is a colorful array of offerings including Syrian chickpea with lemon and tahini, vegetarian white-bean chili, Thai butternut squash soup, and Irish mashed potato soup with crispy bacon bits and a tangy dash of horseradish.

“My soups are very evocative,” Druker says. “They act just like me. They’re powerful and bold and noisy and loud, and they speak to you. They’re very colorful and have a texture.”

At the end of the day, however, it’s still her mother’s chicken noodle soup that brings the most people in.

“It’s Jewish chicken soup,” Druker says. “You can’t imagine how many sick people come to my door every day. You can look at new trends and see what people are into, but they’re always going to come back to the old traditions. Chicken noodle soup will never go out of style because it always makes you feel better.”