Heinz Is Getting 4 New Spicy Ketchup Flavors
Heat seekers rejoice! We are entering a hot sauce renaissance, where even the most mainstream brands are embracing the spicy side of life. Case in point, classic ketchup brand Heinz is bringing four new spice-specific products to the market, each one hotter than the last.
As mentioned in their latest press release, this rollout comes on the heels of a recent market study by Mintel that notes that over 50% of Millennial and Gen Z consumers like to use a variety of spicy condiments like chamoy and gochujang. Powered with that info, Heinz decided to dip its toe into the fiery field of hot sauce but with an eye toward highlighting specific chiles. As Heinz Brand Manager Lindsay Davis put it, "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."
A classic condiment gets a spicy kick
The first three Heinz products are all spicy updates on their quintessential ketchup, each increasing in heat level. The least spicy of the lineup (labeled medium, as there's no mild here) is their Tomato Ketchup blended with Chipotle for a smoky chili flavor. The Jalapeño version takes the heat up a notch and brings a balance of fresh zest and rousing heat to the classic Heinz condiment. The third and spiciest addition features the golden habanero pepper, a small but mighty pepper that brings significant heat to everything it touches. Each ketchup variety is available in an easy-to-use 14-ounce squeeze bottle and will retail for $3.99. How should you use these tomato- and pepper-packed sauces? Besides serving as epic dipping sauces for fries and tenders and condiments for burgers and franks, they can become an already-tangy base for barbecue sauces and marinades.
Heinz's final offering is a hot take on their 90-year-old cult steak sauce, 57 Sauce. Incorporating jalapeños into the mix, the Hot 57 Sauce is Heinz's very first hot sauce, what the brand hopes will reign in a dawn of a new, tongue-tingling era. Offered in a $5.49 10-ounce bottle, this condiment should be served with your favorite protein of choice. Yes, that includes steak. You could also add a dash to your favorite marinade or dressing recipe — basically, any place that could use a dose of heat.