HEINZ Hot Varieties keeps food from being bland and boring
Many people turn to condiments to bring the flavor to boring or badly cooked dish. Somehow smothering a rubbery chicken nugget in sauce or drowning an overcooked burger is wishful thinking that somehow the bite will taste better. If that condiment is bland, the flavor problem is only exacerbated. Luckily, HEINZ Hot Varieties are here to rescue the food on the plate.
HEINZ ketchup has been a condiment mainstay for decades. Whether people know the trick to get the perfect pour from that glass bottle or prefer the newer squeezable container, the reality is that ketchup is often on the table from breakfast till dinner. Eggs, burgers, and maybe even steak have received a boost from that tomato forward condiment.
But, food trends evolve. Spicy flavors have taken over the table. While some people have created their own versions of spicy ketchup at home, it is time for a major player to amp up the spice flavor in a convenient way. Welcome to the shelf, HEINZ Hot Varieties.
Lindsay Davis, Brand Manager, HEINZ Innovation at the Kraft Heinz Company. “We know consumers are hungry for a wider variety of spicy sauces and flavors, and as a consumer-obsessed brand at the forefront of food culture, we saw an exciting opportunity to innovate around our fans’ evolving preferences. Listening to insights gleaned from our audience showed us that a sauce’s heat source really matters to them, which served as a north star in creating new products with curated and flavorful, pepper-specific bases.”
The new HEINZ Hot Varieties are three spicy ketchups and a HEINZ 57 Hot Sauce. The three ketchups are Chipotle (medium), Jalapeño (hot), and Habanero (hotter). While these ketchups will bring the heat, they will not be totally off the charts. No one should expect an episode of Hot Ones.
In some ways, the Chipotle version might be the best bet of the three ketchup options. The slightly smoky heat offers the most versatility. Whether paired with beef or poultry, it can add depth to many dishes.
While these condiments appeal to the spice food fans, the reality is that they should not be drench food. The whole composed bite should be taken into consideration. For example, why add jalapeno jack cheese if it is going to be covered with jalapeno ketchup. Wouldn’t it be better to contrast those flavors than just scorch the tastebuds?
Although the ketchup will probably get the most discussion, the HEINZ 57 hot is the bigger food innovation. As the first new HEINZ 57 product added in over 10 years, it shows that fiery food is not a trend that is going to be extinguished any time soon. People want bolder flavors and companies need to deliver on that option. Whether or not it arrives at the classic steakhouse table remains to be seen.
The new HEINZ Hot Varieties are available in various stores. The suggested retail price is $3.99 for the HEINZ Spicy Ketchup and $5.59 for the HEINZ Hot 57 Sauce. Check with retailers for availability.