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Latest Ads Remind You Where Your Food Came From

YumSugar — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:20:52 -0800

In an era when people are consumed with better-for-you goods, food and beverage companies are launching new campaigns that highlight the produce from which their products are derived.

According to market research results from Mintel International, a quarter of the food and beverages launched in 2008 claimed to be "natural," making it the year's most prevalent claim.

For the first time in more than half a century, food titan Heinz has changed its iconic ketchup label, switching out the gherkin below the name for a plump, vine-ripened tomato. The goal? To remind consumers that Heinz tomatoes go into each bottle of ketchup. Tropicana has repackaged its cartons to only include the word "juice" in small type at the bottom. The OJ box now reads, "100 percent orange: Pure and natural." Frito-Lay's current TV spots underscore the fact that Lay's chips come from potatoes.

From Welch's 100-percent grape juice from concord grapes campaign to Pizza Hut's The Natural pizza, this trend has certainly come to my attention. Have you taken notice as well? Do you think it's a good thing that more companies are emphasizing healthfulness in their edible products, or is this movement simply a gimmicky positioning tactic?

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Heinz: Baked Beanz Needed a "Makeover"

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:00:36 -0700

Are Heinz Baked Beanz too much of a mouthful?

Citing difficult pronunciation, Heinz will be dropping the word "baked" from the Heinz Baked Beanz label and changing the official title to Heinz Beanz, the Telegraph reports. Four years ago, Heinz changed the "s" of beans to "z" to modernize the brand. Now the company explained why the popular British shelf item, which will retain its distinctive teal tin, is ready for another name change:

Heinz Beanz have been powering the nation for over a hundred years, and to say thank you to our loyal fans, we have given this iconic product a 21st century makeover.

Do you think Heinz made a wise choice in ditching the word baked? How will it impact their brand, positively or negatively? In general, what are your thoughts on food companies rebranding classic items to be more modern?

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Is This Heinz Ad Inappropriate?

partysugar — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 11:15:36 -0700

In a controversial move, condiment king Heinz has pulled a UK television commercial from the air. Viewers complained that the commercial - which features a single-sex parental relationship - was inappropriate and unsuitable. Nigel Dickie, a spokesman for Heinz, explains why the ad will no longer be aired:

It is our policy to listen to consumers. We recognize that some consumers raised concerns over the content of the ad and this prompted our decision to withdraw it. The ad was meant to be humorous and we apologize to anyone who felt offended.

Considering last week's legalization of gay marriage in California, I think the ad is harmless and in tune with our culture. What do you think? Watch the video below and let me know if you consider this condiment ad inappropriate?

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Heinz Ketchup Goes Gourmet

YumSugar — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 06:01:33 -0700

Ketchup is ketchup right? Tomatoes, sugar some spices. It's a condiment, not a gourmet sauce, right? Wrong! Maybe it's just because the British seemed more refined than the rest of us, but the Daily Mail is reporting that they're about to receive a gourmet Heinz ketchup.

The new "premium" ketchup has taken the chefs at Heinz over a year to perfect and it will cost three times as much as regular ketchup. According to Heinz it is meant to appeal to folks "who want a more sophisticated table sauce to match their palate."

There's no news on whether or not the US leg of Heinz is planning on releasing a similar product, but if they did, would you buy it?

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You're Going to Need a Lot of Fries to Use All of This Ketchup

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:13:31 -0700

People do the weirdest things in the hunt for the "world's record." This time the fine citizens of Collinsville, Illinois have partnered with the H.J. Heinz Co. in order to create the world's largest ketchup packet. The packet, which will contain 130 gallons of ketchup, is being submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records and is 8-feet tall, 4-feet wide and weighs over 1,500 pounds (680 kg).

If you don't believe me, here's a video of the event.

Source: Spluch

Woman Finds Mouse Head in Frozen Green Beans

YumSugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:00:13 -0700

How's this for a Halloween fright? A woman in Auckland, New Zealand, was opening a package of Heinz-Watties "choice cut" frozen green beans when she came across a strange-looking foreign object. The unidentified frozen object in question was a shrunken mouse's head.

"I thought it was a little husk or something so I took it out of the microwave and pulled it out. It had eyes looking back at me," said Jacquie Lewis, the surprised recipient. If she hadn't stopped to take a closer look at the one-centimeter-wide object, she could have eaten it. She described the experience as "incredibly nauseating. I thought, 'If this is your head, where exactly is the rest of you?'"

Heinz-Watties explained that wildlife can get into its food products from time to time, but the thought of this happening to someone still makes me shudder. Have you ever found something in your store-bought products that shouldn't have been there?

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Due to Customer Backlash, Tropicana Ditches New Logo

partysugar — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 10:15:32 -0800

Last month Tropicana debuted a clean new look to emphasize the all-natural, fresh squeezed juice. However, due to an overwhelming amount of customer outrage, the company is abandoning the changes and returning to the old packaging. Many loyal Tropicana fans were disgusted by the brand's redesigned logo - which features a glass of orange juice against a white backdrop, instead of the familiar orange with a straw poking out the side - calling it ugly, stupid, and generic-looking. According to Neil Campbell, the President of Tropicana North America, the company was unaware of its fiercely loyal consumers:

We underestimated the deep emotional bond [of the brand's original logo]. What we didn't get was the passion this very loyal small group of consumers have. That wasn't something that came out in the research. Those consumers are very important to us, so we responded.

The reaction will be quick: Tropicana plans to discontinue the redesigned packaging immediately and have the old image back on the carton by next month. The juice giant isn't the only brand to update its logo; Pepsi, Snapple, and Heinz have recently revamped their trademark images. Only time will tell if these companies fare better with consumer support than Tropicana did.

Did you notice the new Tropicana packaging? How do you feel about the controversy?

Snapple to Debut Redesign and HFCS-Free Formula

partysugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:30:34 -0800

Last week the New York Times announced that iced tea brand Snapple is redesigning its look and formula. The font is more modern, and the new bottle will be slimmer, so it can fit into cup holders. Real sugar will replace the high fructose corn syrup and lower the calorie count by 40 calories. The label will highlight the type of leaves - green and black tea leaves - used to make the drink and points out that it's "all natural."

With fierce competition in the specialty tea industry, Snapple hopes the more contemporary look will increase sales and popularity. The changes are set to hit supermarket shelves over the next few months. Snapple isn't the first brand to update its look to showcase the wholesomeness of ingredients - Heinz ketchup did it last month.

Do you drink Snapple? What do you think of the changes?

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Theo Fennell Silver Bottle Sleeve: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:00:36 -0700

When BabySugar showed me this sterling silver ketchup sleeve by British jeweler Theo Fennell, I couldn't help but laugh. Bling for a regular bottle of Heinz is absolutely absurd! While there is a time and place for fabulous excessiveness, at $1800, this silver sleeve is simply too much for me. Do you agree?

What's Yummy This Week - YumSugar Weekly Recap

partysugar — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 09:30:24 -0700

Don't forget to enter to win a Cuisinart Supreme Ice Cream Maker!
Test how well you know Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors.
Fourth of July is next week, so start planning a patriotic barbecue.
Long Island iced teas are potent but refreshing.
Classic fudgesicles get a spicy twist when made like Mexican hot chocolate.
Heinz pulled a controversial condiment ad off the air: What do you think of their decision?
Cut out letters make an affordable chic decoration idea.
Strawberry season is almost over! Before it ends make strawberry pie.
Host a no fail, last minute brunch.
Have you ever tried ice wine?
Finally, check out my top ten moments at the Aspen Food and Wine Classic.