Beanz meanz feinz dining
CAN baked beans be the next avocado on sourdough? Heinz certainly thinks so, and it plans to take the teatime favourite upmarket.
The food giant aims to cash in on the trend for vegan meals, pitching the humble sauce-covered legumes as “the new avocado”, said its northern Europe president Jojo de Noronha.
Under the firm’s Bean Liberation Exercise, the convenience food will be freed from “its canned heartland” in meals based around Beanz Burgers.
They include the All-Day Breakfast Burger and a Tex-Mex Burger, while four of the varieties are vegan – reflecting a growing demand for plant-based dining.
Heinz is teaming up with delivery company Deliveroo to trial the range in London until the end of October.
Jojo told trade magazine The Grocer that Heinz bosses felt there was an opening for the traditional tinned treat: “The last five years the company has done well, profitability-wise, but hasn’t brought a lot of innovation to the market.”
Heinz intends to highlight that baked beans are both healthy and versatile, like avocados which have gained superfood status in recent years – particularly among the middle classes with meals such as smashed avocado on sourdough toast.
Sam Ford, of Heinz UK marketing, said: “We cannot wait to hear what the public think”.
HEINZ’S plans to cash in on the vegan market by pitching baked beans as “the new avocado” is a wonderful idea which will hopefully lead to more opportunities to eat this iconic delight.
The craze for smashed avocado on sourdough toast is all very well, but nothing beats baked beans as a breakfast dish which sends energy to the brain and joy to the heart.There is not an hour in the day when the sauce-enriched beans could not make a welcome appearance.
This simple dish has been a favourite element of so many of our childhood and adult mealtimes. Long may it continue.